BOX SCORE

WINONA, Minn. - Winona State defeated Southwest Minnesota State for the 13th consecutive time at McCown Gym with its 87-67 victory over the Mustangs on Saturday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball action. Riley Bambenek led WSU with a game-high 20 points on 7 of 12 shooting, while teammate Skyler O'Laughlin recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

With the victory, WSU has taken 22 of the last 24 meetings, including the last 19 regular season meetings and 13 at home. WSU improves to 9-2, 5-0 in the NSIC, while the Mustangs drop to 5-5, 3-2 in the NSIC.

SMSU finished shooting 38.3 percent from the floor, while WSU shot at a 53.6 percent clip.

Matt Zager led SMSU with 15 points, while Joey Bartlett followed up his career-high 17 points last night with 12 on 3 of 8 shooting. Vinard Birch and William Giddings each chipped in with 11 points. 

WSU hit 17 of its 31 first half shots - highlighted by four thunderous O'Laughlin dunks. SMSU went on a 14-4 run to take a 24-21 lead with 9:03 remaining, but could only muster six points the rest of the half. WSU quickly erased the lead and built a 13-point lead with its 19-6 run to close the half.

Down as much as 23 in the second half, SMSU didn't quit as the Mustangs tried to make it a game with a 19-5 run that cut the lead down to nine with 2:37 remaining. Joey Bartlett hit a 3-point bucket to cut the lead to single-digits but that would be the last points SMSU would score as the Warriors finished the final 2:37 on an 11-0 run.

SMSU will put the 2013 calendar year in the books with two games at the R/A Facility starting on Thursday, Dec. 19, versus Wisconsin-La Crosse.