Coming off a 10-point outing the evening before against Southwest Minnesota State, Dillon delivered a career-best effort versus the Cougars. Named the Player-to-Watch for WSU in the NSIC Coaches poll, Dillon provided truth in advertising on Saturday, entertaining the McCown crowd with a standout performance.
Dillon was joined at the top of the stat line by Warrior teammate
Carson Arenz, who earned his first career double-double, scoring 12 points and collecting 12 rebounds. Dillon's 33 points were the most by any WSU player this season while Arenz's rebounding total is also a season-high for the squad.
Key Details: Winona State 81, Sioux Falls 66
Attendance: 897
How it Happened
Winona State opened up a 10-4 lead early on, with
Connor Dillon scoring on a slashing drive, followed by a jumper from
Devon Fielding and hoop down low by
Connor Drew.
Sioux Falls would climb their way back into the contest and briefly take the lead at the 11:43 mark. The Cougar advantage was short lived however, as a triple from
Connor Drew off a Brock Voight assist and a
Connor Dillon layup kept the Cougar lead from growing by more than a couple points.
Connor Drew hit a 3-pointer at the midway point of the opening 20 minutes, giving WSU a two-point lead. The back-and-forth battle saw Winona State and Sioux Falls trade buckets until WSU was able to wrap up the half with three consecutive scoring possessions, while getting stops at the other end of the floor.
Overall in the first half, WSU shot 53.57% from the floor and enjoyed a 4-for-8 mark from behind the arc, giving the Warriors a 38-34 lead at the break.
Halftime: WSU 38, USF 34
Following halftime, Winona State would go on an 8-2 run that set the tone for the second half.
Connor Dillon opened with a three-pointer and added a pair of free throws, after which
Carson Arenz also contributed from the line with a pair of makes.
Dillon would again deliver in droves, including a 3-pointer at the 10-minute mark that gave WSU a 10-point cushion.
Carson Arenz kept USF at bay with a Warrior effort on the boards, finishing the game with a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, a career high.
Winona State would not trail in the second half and opened up a 14-points lead with five minutes left to play. WSU held the Cougars to a 9-of-23 (39.13%) team shooting mark in the final 20 minutes to seal the victory, claiming a 81-66 win.
Final Score: Winona State 81, Sioux Falls 66
Team Stat Notables
Carson Arenz was 6-of-6 from the free throw line.
WSU earned 15 points off of Cougar turnovers.
Winona State out-rebounded USF 40-22
The Warriors blocked six Cougar shots on the evening, including three by
Connor Dillon, a team high.
WSU Stat Leaders
Connor Dillon, 33 points, 14-of-25 from the floor, 3-of-8 from 3-point territory
Carson Arenz, 12 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 6-of-6 from the free throw line
Connor Drew, 12 points, 5 rebounds,
Beyond the Boxscore
Winona State moves to 3-1 at home this year.
WSU's 81 point total was the most points scored this season.
Winona State snapped a two-game skid against Sioux Falls.
Up Next
Winona State (5-1, 2-1 NSIC) will hit the road in NSIC play next weekend, taking on Wayne State College on Friday, Dec. 8 and Augustana University on Saturday, Dec. 9.
