BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, MINN. - Defending NCAA champion Winona State won its eight straight game, including fifth in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, holding off a second half Southwest Minnesota comeback to earn a 79-69 victory on Friday night in Marshall.

WSU improves to 12-4 overall, 5-2 NSIC, while SMSU drops to 10-5 overall, 3-3 NSIC.  It was Winona State's 14th straight victory over Southwest Minnesota State.

Winona State started out the game red-hot shooting from the field connecting on 20 of 32 field goals in the opening half including 7 of 13 from three-point range in building a 49-31 halftime lead.  SMSU trailed 16-14 with 13:32 left in the opening half before WSU put together its biggest run of the game extending the lead to 43-21 with just over five minutes remaining in the half, before taking the 18-point halftime lead.

SMSU held WSU scoreless for the first four minutes of the second half and cut the Warrior lead to 49-37 with 16 minutes remaining in the game.  WSU would push the lead back to 16 on two different occasions before SMSU mounted a big time rally cutting the lead to three points with four minutes left.

Trailing 64-52 with 10:27 left in the game, SMSU scored seven straight points on a three-pointer by Andy Beilke, and back to back jumpers from DeAnthony Zanders and Nick Dale.  WSU pushed the lead to 68-59 with eight minutes remaining before once again SMSU rallied and cut the lead to 70-67 with four minutes remaining on a Kevin Andrews lay-up.  The two teams exchanged baskets in the next minute, before WSU closed out the game on a 7-0 run to earn the big road victory.

WSU freshman Jon Walburg led all scorers wtih 19 points including hitting on three three-pointers.  WSU finished the night shooting 28 of 54 from the field (51.9 percent), including 9 of 24 from three-point range (37.5).  WSU entered the game ranked fourth in the nation in three-point field goals made per game with 11.

SMSU finished the night shooting 26 of 61 from the field (42.6 percent) and made 6 of 19 three-pointers (31.6 percent).  Andrews led SMSU with 13 points on a team-high six field goals.  Ross DeMasi and Andy Beilke each added 11 points for the Mustangs.  SMSU finished with a 36-31 rebound advantage.

SMSU will conclude its four-game NSIC homestand tomorrow night versus Upper Iowa beginning at 8 p.m.