MOORHEAD, Minn. - The Winona State Univerisity men's basketball team faced off against the Minnesota State University Moorhead dropping the contest 71-57.
Leading the Warrior charge was
Luke Haertle with 23 points on nine of 20 shooting while also collecting eight rebounds, and three assists.
How it Happened:
Logan Kinsey got the scoring for MSU Moorhead with an early three-pointer, assisted by Carson Johnson. Jhei-R Jones quickly responded with a three of his own for Winona State, setting the stage for a competitive contest. The Warriors found their rhythm, surging to a 20-13 lead by baskets from Luke Haertle and Connor Drew. Winona State maintained their lead until the buzzer, when Shaun Wysocki's layup at the half gave MSU Moorhead a narrow 34-32 lead.
Kinsey opened the second half with another three-pointer, extending the Dragons' momentum. The teams traded points throughout the period, with MSU Moorhead's lead never exceeding six. Drew and Haertle continued to battle, converting on several challenging shots. A three-minute scoring drought happened on both sides, broken by Connor Drew, who narrowed the gap to 48-46. However, the Dragons then went on a run of their own, pushing their lead to 61-51 just before the final media timeout.
With 2:11 remaining, Haertle connected on a contested three-pointer, bringing the Warriors within nine points at 66-57. Unfortunately, MSU Moorhead responded with clutch baskets, proving too much for Winona State to overcome, ultimately securing the 71-57 victory.
Statistical Leaders:
- Luke Haertle led the charge with 23 points and a team high eight rebounds and three assists.
- Connor Drew collected 19 points and five rebounds.
- Same Hastreiter led the Dagons with 19 points and a team high nine rebounds.
- Isaiah Thompson and Jhei-R Jones both coralled eight rebounds apiece.
Team Comparisons:
- MSU Moorhead had four players reach double figures compared to the Warriors two.
- The Warriors shot 36.17% from the field and 28.6% from three point range, while the Dragons shot 44.1% and 39.3% in return.
- Both teams collected 38 rebounds.
- WSU had eight team assists while the Dragons gathered 14 on the night.
Winona State is next in action on Saturday, February 22 at 3:30pm when they face off in the final contest of the NSIC regular season against St. Cloud State University on the road.
