WINONA, MINN. - Winona State will get a chance to defend its NCAA Division II men's basketball championship.
Zach Malvik scored 31 points as the Warriors advanced to the D-II Elite Eight, winning its 55th game in a row with an 89-76 victory over Minnesota State Mankato in the championship game of the North Central Region tournament Tuesday night.
Malvik was named Region Most Outstanding Player after he shot 10-for-16 from the floor and 11-for-12 from the free-throw line. Jonte Flowers had 16 points for the top-ranked Warriors (33-0), and John Smith had 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Winona State advances to the Elite Eight on March 21 in Springfield, Mass. The Warriors will play Bentley, Mass., at 32-0 the only other undefeated team in D-II.
Paris Kyles scored 22 points to lead Minnesota State Mankato, which ended the season 28-5, a school record for victories. Luke Anderson finished with 18 points and Atila Santos 16.
The Warriors trailed 40-38 at halftime, and the teams stayed close until Winona State used a 7-0 run over a 4:28 span midway through the second half to push its lead to 61-53.
Now that Hopkins is out, the best basketball team in Minnesota is the St. Paul Johnson Governors! Woot!
In a way, I almost hope they lose in either the 1st or 2nd round of the state tourney. I've committed myself to going to the Target Center if they get to the title game. I haven't been to any basketball game in about 15 years... the last game I went to was the Wolves against the Rockets when they still had Akeem Olajuwon (yes, Akeem, not Hakeem - that's how long it's been).
Based on their performance in the tourney the last two years, I'll probably be spared.
I was misinformed, they were only on the local feeds. But they won in OT and advance to the Nat'l Championship game which is at noon on Saturday on CBS. Check 'em out!!!
Elk River AA State Champions- 2001 Boys & 2004 Girls
EREmpireStrikesBack wrote:I was misinformed, they were only on the local feeds. But they won in OT and advance to the Nat'l Championship game which is at noon on Saturday on CBS. Check 'em out!!!
They were actually on FSN tape delayed, after the Wild game. I watched it.
Winona State fell today in the Division II National Championship Game to Barton by the score of 77-75 in an unbelievable game. Congrats to Winona State for a wonderful season. They proved that a miracle was needed to knock them off, and somehow Barton was able to pull it off.
