WINONA, Minn. – Winona State women's basketball closed out the regular season with a 75-70 win over St. Cloud State on Senior Day. The Warriors finish with a 13-9 NSIC record and secure a home game in the first round of NSIC Tournament on Wednesday, February 25th.
Winona State and St. Cloud State traded runs throughout the game, until the Warriors were able to outscore the Huskies 23-15 in the final frame to hold on for the victory. WSU senior
Hailey Markworth led the way with a 19-point and 11-rebound double-double to clinch the regular season finale.
WSU's 13-9 conference record and sixth-place finish is their best since the 2016-17 season. With the No. 6 seed in the 2026 NSIC Women's Basketball Tournament, Winona State will host 11th-seeded Minot State the first round game on Wednesday, February 25th at 6:00pm in McCown Gymnasium.
How It Happened:
After jumping out to a 17-9 lead midway through the first quarter, Winona State ended the frame with a Markworth Jumper to lead 21-15 after one. A
Vivica Bretton layup gave WSU their largest lead of the first half with 6:08 left in the second to lead 30-19. The Huskies then slowly clawed back into the game and cut it within three before
Bria Stenstrom knocked in a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give WSU a 40-34 lead heading into the locker room.
In a back-and-forth third quarter, St. Cloud State used a late run to outscore the Warriors 21-12 in the frame and take the lead by three points heading into the fourth. SCSU held their largest lead of the game, 57-52, after the opening possession of the final frame. The Warriors then went on a 9-0 run before SCSU knotted the game up at 67 apeice with less than three to go. Two quick buckets from Winona State extended their lead to four, and WSU never looked back to hang on for the 75-70 victory.
Statistical Comparison:
- Markworth led all scorers with 19 points on 8-16 shooting to bring her to 997 career points.
- Bretton added 15 points, six boards, and four assists for WSU.
- Megan Schuman, Sadie Jarmolowicz, and Stenstrom all tallied double-digit scoring efforts.
- Winona State shot .508 from the field, including .429 (9-21) from deep compared to St. Cloud State's .467 from the field and just .294 (5-17) from beyond the arc.
- WSU dominated the glass, outrebounding SCSU 35-22.
- Jada Eggebrecht led the Huskies with 17 points.
Winona State (16-12, 13-9 NSIC) will turn their attention towards postseason play, beginning at home on Wednesday, February 25th against Minot State in the NSIC Tournament First Round. Tickets will be $10 for adults and $2 for students. The first 200 Winona State University students in the doors will receive a free ticket, courtesy of President Janz.
