SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Winona State University men's basketball team used a balanced effort to win on the road at Augustana University, as the Warriors defeated the Vikings 62-58 on Saturday, December 9 in the Sanford Pentagon.
Connor Dillon led the Winona State offense in notching 20 points and
Carson Arenz added 15 points to the Warrior effort. WSU found themselves on the wrong end of a lopsided foul-shooting opportunity, but the right side of the final scoreline, thanks in part to strong defense around the 3-point line.
Key Details: Winona State 62, Augustana 58
Attendance: 542
How It Happened
Carson Arenz hit a 3-pointer just 50 seconds into the first half to set a strong tempo for Winona State, and the Warriors would battle with the Vikings for the lead over much of the first half.
Despite earning just one trip to the free throw line in the opening 20 minutes, the visiting Warriors were able to keep pace with the home side Vikings thanks in large part to a balanced first-half offensive attack.
Connor Dillon and
Carson Arenz both had seven points in the opening stanza and joined
Devon Fielding in hitting a handful of shots from behind the arc. In contrast, the Vikings struggled from long range on their home floor, going just 2-of-13 from behind the arc.
Declan Dillon and
Devon Fielding combined for five assists in the first half, a span that saw good ball rotation and unselfish play which allowed WSU to pull away late with a five-point lead at the break.
At The Half: Winona State 36, Augustana 31
Winona State identically opened the second half as the first, with
Carson Arenz connecting on a triple from deep. WSU would continue to hold a two-possession lead for much of the final 20 minutes but reached the relative comfort of a double-digit lead only once, owning a 41-31 advantage following back-to-back buckets by Arenz about eight minutes into the half.
The Vikings continued to both miss from long range in the second half but also find themselves at the foul line with frequency.
Augustana shot 13 foul shots in the final 20 minutes, making nine - while Winona State did not earn a single trip to the line in the final 20 minutes of play until the final three seconds of the game. The WSU perimeter defense - stellar in the first half - continued to be resolute in the second half, holding the Vikings to just two makes in nine attempts.
With time winding down, an Augustana run closed the gap to a three-point margin at 60-57. Yet another Viking trip to the charity stripe saw WSU's lead slip to a tenuous two points with Issac Fink hitting the front end of a 1-and-1. However, Fink's second attempt clanged off the rim and allowed the Warriors to grab a key rebound. A pair of
Connor Dillon free throws at the other end of the court iced the contest for Winona State, winning 62-58.
Warrior Stat Standouts
Connor Dillon 22 points, 9-of-17 overall, 4 rebounds
Carson Arenz 15 points, 6-of-7 overall, 3-of-4 from 3-point territory, 4 rebounds
Brock Voigt 8 points, 4-of-4 from the floor
Declan Dillon, 6 rebounds, 5 assists
Team Stat Comparables
Winona State was 25-of-55 (45.5%) from the floor; Augustana was 20-of-59 (33.9%)
WSU held the Vikings to just four successful 3-pointers in the game; Augie was 4-of-24 (16.7%) on the night.
The Vikings attempted 18 free throws in the game; WSU had just five trips to the foul line, three in the final minute with Augie force to foul.
Both squads hauled in 32 rebounds in the game.
WSU was in the lead for 62% of the contest and dished out 17 assists as a team. The Vikings were credited with just 8 helpers.
Beyond The Boxscore
Winona State has now won three straight over Augustana.
WSU is one of just three NSIC teams with four wins; Minnesota State, MSU Moorhead are the other two.
Connor Dillon competes the weekend averaging 31 points per game.
Up Next
Riding a three-game winning streak, Winona State (7-1, 4-1 NSIC) returns home on Thursday, December 14 to host Minnesota State at 5:30 p.m. in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court.
