| Jan. 27th, 2007 -Aberdeen, S.D. | Records | |||
| #1 Winona State | 18-0, 10-0 NSIC | |||
| Northern State | 13-6, 6-4 NSIC |
6,213 Fans Packed Into Wachs Arena For The Nationally Televised Game
#1 Warriors Too Much for Wolves
January 27, 2007
ABERDEEN, S.D. - After trailing 33-28 at halftime, the #1 Winona State Warriors (18-0, 10-0 NSIC) outscored the Northern State Wolves (13-6, 6-4 NSIC) by 15 in the second half to take the victory 76-66 in Aberdeen, S.D. The win sets the defending national champions' winning streak at 40 game and marks the sixth victory in a row for the Warriors over the Wolves.
With 6,213 fans on their side, the Wolves controlled much of the first half, stifling the Warriors on defense before taking a lead at the half. The Wolves jumped out to an early 8-3 led in the first five minutes of the game, but two quick three point shots by David Johnson put the Warriors up 9-8 with 13:50 left in the half. From there the Warriors would use a 7-2 run to go up 16-10, but the Wolves would use some swarming defensive pressure to go on a 18 to 2 run to take a 30-18 lead with 4:37 left in the half. The Warriors would not be outdone, closing out the half with a 10-3 run of their own, leading 33-28 at the half.
The Wolves were led by Kevin Ratzsch with 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting, while snaring 6 boards. Levi Hamilton scored 6 points on 3-of-4 from the field.
The Warriors were led by David Johnson who scored 9 points as he went 3-of-4 from long range. John Smith, Zach Malvik, and Jonte Flowers each had 5 points for the Warriors.
The Wolves shot 48.3% (14/29) from the floor to the Warriors' 41.7% (10/24). The Wolves also shot well from behind the arc shooting 3-of-6 for 50.0%. The Wolves out rebounded the Warriors 16 to 15 and forced 12 Warrior turnovers to their 8.
In the second half, the Warriors were able to close the five point halftime gap in the opening 1:50 of the game as they tied the score 36-36. The Wolves built their lead back up to five at 45-40 with 14:57 left in the game, but like before, the Warriors would not quit and took the lead for good at 64-63 on a free throw by David Johnson.
The Warriors would go an a 13-3 run to close out the game as they hit their free throws and put the game out of reach for the 10 point victory.
The Wolves had four players in double figures as they were led by Craig Nelson as he scored 15 points on 5-of-12 from the field. Levi Hamilton had 12 points while Kevin Ratzsch and Robert Thomas each had dumped in 11 for the Wolves. On the boards the Wolves were led by Ratzsch as he snared 7 boards.
The Warriors also had four players in double figures as they were led by David Johnson with 20 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Malvik had 17 points, Smith had 15 and Flowers scored 14 for the Warriors. The Warriors were led on the boards by Smith and Flowers who had 6 boards apiece.
The Wolves shot an even 50.0% from the field (26/52) to the Warriors 46.9% (23/49). The Wolves also shot well from behind the arc as the shot 44.4% (8/18) to the Warriors 40.0% (8/20). The Warriors out rebounded the Wolves 29 to 27 and caused 17 turnovers to their 15.
The Warriors and the Wolves both scored 24 points in the paint, but the Warriors scored 21 points off of turnovers to the Wolves' 17. The score was tied eight times in the game and there were eight lead changes in this close contest, which was broadcasted on FSN North regionally and on CSTV nationwide.
The Wolves will be in action next on Sunday January 28th, when they host the Upper Iowa Peacocks at 3:00 pm in Aberdeen, S.D.
Northern State University (located in Aberdeen, SD) is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
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