Dillon Hogan/Winonan

Coming off a tough last-second loss against Minnesota State Moorhead, the Winona State men’s basketball team was looking for a bounce-back weekend to finish their four-game road trip.

The Warriors asserted their dominance Friday against Augustana in a well-rounded performance on both ends of the court on the way to a 78-62 victory.

The Warriors were in complete control against Augustana, leading from the very start of the game and never relinquishing that lead. Courtesy of a 23-5 run, the Warriors’ lead increased to 22 points with seven minutes left in the first half.

By halftime, Augustana had fought back to reduce the lead to 19 points, with the score 41-22 in favor of the Warriors. From there the Warriors never eased up, putting up as much as a 26-point lead with nine minutes remaining, despite efforts by Augustana, who lowered the Warrior lead to 16, where it would remain for the final score of 78-62.

Defensively, the Warriors were more than efficient, forcing Augustana into 17 turnovers and blocking six shot attempts. On offense, the Warriors were just as balanced and efficient. Four Warriors reached the double-digit point mark and seven Warriors scored at least five.

Skyler O’Laughlin and Mark Blacklock both scored 15, a career high for O’Laughlin, while Josh Mongan contributed 11 and Kyle Bauman rounded it out with 10 of his own. The Warriors also shot better than 50 percent from the field, finishing at 52.5 percent.

From beyond the arc, the Warriors were led by Mongan’s three of the team’s eight total. Leading in assists for the Warriors were Blacklock with five, and Kellen Taylor and Riley Bambenek each posting four.

Finishing up the road trip, the Warriors again used a great offensive night to take the victory, this time over Wayne State.

The Warriors did not trail in the game and at halftime held a 40-33 lead. A rally by Wayne State cut the Warrior lead down to as little as four.

An 11-0 Warrior run brought the Warriors back into double-digit lead range, which the Warriors would never give up. The lead reached as much as 18 for the Warriors but would drop down to 12 for the final score of 79-67.

This marks the 17th straight win over Wayne State for the Warriors. The offense for the Warriors was again running on all cylinders, with four players scoring in double digits and again shooting over 50 percent as a team.

The first half saw the Warriors shooting 53 percent in the opening half and a remarkable 63 percent in the second half for a game total of 58.5 percent. This game was the third consecutive and 14th time this season the Warriors have shot better than 50 percent from the floor.

Taylor led all scorers with 19 points, only two off his career high, while shooting 9-12 from the floor with five rebounds as well. Bambenek led the Warriors in 3-pointers with three while scoring 15 points in the game, and Isaiah Gray put up 14 points to go with his five rebounds. Kyle Bauman scored 12 for the Warriors with six rebounds to finish the Warriors’ double-digit scoring.

At the end of the weekend the Warriors are 20-5 overall this season, the tenth straight season the Warriors have won at least 20 games. The Warriors are also 15-3 overall in NSIC play, which ties them for first place. The Warriors will play their final four games of the regular season at home with games beginning Feb. 14 when they host St. Cloud State at 8 p.m.