Box Score |
Box Score (.pdf) |
Photo Gallery
Riley Bambenek scored a game-high 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting to lead No. 25 Winona State past Northern State 64-53 Friday evening inside Wachs Arena, handing the Wolves just their second loss at home this season.
Bambenek scored 13 of Winona's (18-4, 13-2 NSIC) first 17 points and had 18 in the first half.
Skye Warwick was the leading scorer for Northern (14-7, 9-6 NSIC) as he had 12 points and went 4-for-8 from three-point range.
Winona State came into the night's contest as the number one scoring defense in the NSIC allowing 68.5 points per game. The Warriors defense lived up to its billing Friday as Northern's 53 points was its second-lowest output of the season (44 at Southwest Minnesota). The Wolves' 37.2 percent (16-for-43) shooting was also the second-lowest of the year. WSU shot 43.8 percent in the game.
NSU also had a season-high 23 turnovers in the loss as the Warriors scored 21 points off of Northern miscues. The Wolves scored seven points off of 17 WSU turnovers. Winona also held an edge in points in the paint at 22-12 and a slight 10-9 advantage in second-chance points. The Wolves bench outscored Winona 23-12.
Carter Evans had nine points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks for Northern in the loss.
Mitch White chipped in with seven points and also had career-highs in rebounds with nine and assists with five.
Tydan Storrusten also added seven for the Wolves.
Northern stayed within striking distance of the Warriors for much of the first half until WSU ended the last 6:38 of the half going on an 11-5 run and held its biggest lead of the game up until that point (12) at 34-22. Winona State would then score the first six points of the second half and built its largest lead of the game at 18 points with 18:35 to go at 40-22.
The Wolves slowly chipped away at the WSU lead, cutting it to as little as five at 56-51 with 2:56 remaining. A Bambenek jumper and 6-for-8 shooting from the free throw line down the stretch sealed the Wolves' fate in the game.
Northern looks to rebound Saturday night as Upper Iowa comes to town for a 7:00 tip-off.
