The race to the finish has begun in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), as the conference tournament moves past the one-month mark on the countdown to postseason play in basketball. The Winona State women’s basketball team currently stands with a record of 9-12 with a conference record of 5-10. Four of the Warriors’ remaining seven games are travel dates for the women to run the table to the conference. Winona State will travel to Mankato to face the Minnesota State Mavericks, who currently stand as the top team in the conference with only one loss in NSIC play.
When asked about the team’s mindset regarding the ticking clock towards the conference tournament, Warriors Forward Megan Schuman said, “Our mindset is to take it one game at a time. We’re focusing on competing and controlling what we can—our energy, effort, and enjoyment of the game.”
Northern State Game Recap:
Winona State traveled to Aberdeen, S.D., to take on the Northern State Wolves at the Wachs Arena. The Wolves defeated Minnesota State the previous night, marking the Mavericks’ first conference loss of the season. The big-time victory set the stage for a showdown with Winona State on Jan. 25th.
When talking about the mindset heading into Aberdeen, Schuman also said, “We focused on keeping our composure throughout the game and feeding off each other’s energy. Northern has a strong inside game, so we concentrated on packing the paint while also closing out on their shooters.”
The game opened as a roller coaster for the Warriors, who started hot in the opening quarter. Vivica Bretton scored a layup to secure a 12-6 lead shortly before the halfway point of the quarter. Northern State answered with a run of their own, securing key shots to close out the quarter on a 12-4 swing. The Wolves pounced on an 18-16 lead to close the opening interval.
Northern State continued their hot streak with an 8-0 run, sparked by Madelyn Bragg. The duo of Schuman and Bretton each finished with 17 points and six rebounds for the night. Schuman hit a triple to cut the lead to seven before the mid-quarter media timeout. The Wolves embarked on a 17-7 to close the half and maintained a 45-29 lead on Winona State.
Referring to the rebounding battle, Schuman said, “Coach also stresses that rebounding creates extra possessions and scoring opportunities, making it a key focus in every game.”
Although the Wolves led by sixteen to begin the second half, Hailey Markworth knocked down four straight shots to start the third quarter. Schuman picked up where Markworth left off, connecting on a three to gash the lead to five halfway through the period. Northern State responded with a pair of three-point shots to retain a double-digit lead to close the quarter.
With the final ten minutes looming, Winona State looked to make one final power play to take back the lead. Markworth, starting the fourth with 15 total points, hit a quick three to lower the lead to just five once again. She would go on to finish with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. Unfortunately, Northern State sealed the game with three crucial hoops to close out Winona State 85-73.
Minnesota Duluth Game Recap:
After the Warriors’ unsuccessful trip to Aberdeen, they headed home to McCown Gymnasium to face off against the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. Duluth recently traveled to Minot, N.D., to take on the Beavers on Jan. 25th, where they lost the contest 58-48. Duluth headed into the matchup ranked tenth in the NSIC with a 5-9 conference record and 7-13 overall. Both teams looked to rebound and make some noise in the conference standings.
With a pair of two-point shots from Markworth and Bretton, Winona State led the game with a 5-4 lead nearly halfway through the quarter. The Warriors extended their lead to four points in less than two minutes. A pair of threes by Maria Counts helped keep the Bulldogs in the first period, who trailed 11-10 by the end of the first quarter.
The lid on the basket was lifted for the second act. Olivia Gamoke hit a three to kickstart the action for Winona State. Grace and Counts each hit a triple to give Duluth a three-point lead in the middle of the period. Mattie Schimenz and Schuman combined for ten points to close out the quarter. The Warriors managed a 30-22 lead to end the first half.
After the halftime break, Duluth rushed to tie the game, and the two teams fought back and forth to gain an advantage in the final quarter. Sadie Jarmolowicz hit a crucial shot to bump Winona State to a three-point lead to end the third quarter.
Winona State had to dig in to hold their lead in the fourth. By the midway point, the score was settled at 48 apiece. The Warriors sank seven straight free throws to close out the Bulldogs. They earned their fifth conference win of the season with a 57-53 victory over Duluth. Gamoke led the way with 15 points and three three-pointers in the game. Vivica also dominated the court with 14 points, six rebounds and three assists.
