QUINCY TAKES CONTROL: Anderson’s career-high 31 points help lift the Mavs in the home finale
Daniel McElroy ® Sports Editor |
Photos by Mansoor Ahmad ® Photo Editor |
The Minnesota State men’s basketball team (8-4) split their series this weekend against the Winona State Warriors (4-5).
The Mavericks dropped two games in a row for the first time this season, following a loss to the Sioux Falls Cougars, and losing their first game against the Warriors this past weekend.
Friday’s first half was as close as could be, with the lead only getting greater than six points. The first half scoring was back and forth and proved that the Warriors, who sit at sixth in the NSIC standings, can put up a fight when they need to. The Warriors ended the first half in the lead by a score 45-40.
Through the first half, the Mavs were shooting 57.14% in field goals and 66.67% from three point range.
Winona State extended this lead even further in the second half by as much as 17, and went on a 13-1 run to start the second half. The Mavs attempted to cut this lead as much as possible to make it a close game, but came up empty handed.
Warriors forward Taylor Kevion recorded a personal and team season-high of 30 points in the win, while playing 37 minutes.
Mavericks’ Devonte Thedford led the team in points with 24, shooting 8 of 14 field goals, and making all 6 free throws. Quincy Anderson scored 13 points in the loss and shot 4 of 13 field goals, while making three 3-pointers.
MSU came back to Bresnan Arena on Saturday with fire in their eyes.
Although the Warriors got on the board first with a layup, the Mavs took a commanding early lead of 16-6 with points from Malik Willingham, Thedford and Anderson.
WSU brings it back to a tight game and cutting the Mavs lead to no more than two possessions, and even tying the game with just more than a minute a remaining in the half, but a layup from Anderson and 3-pointer from Thedford put the Mavs in the lead 42-37 going into the locker rooms.
Despite a very close first half, the second half was anything but.
The Mavs outscored the Warriors 47-27 and took the win 89-64.
Anderson had a career game for himself, scoring 31 points and shooting 12 of 19 field goals. Anderson also led the team in rebounds with six.
Willingham scored 17 in the win, making a team-high over the weekend five three-pointers.
Brady Williams got himself in double-digits as well, scoring 11, making 4 of 5 field goals, and 3 of 3 three-pointers.