The Winona State University women’s basketball team has achieved something special this year.
That something is a school record for wins in a season.
The Warriors picked up their 17th win of the season when they defeated Upper Iowa 74-54 on Saturday.
WSU has six games left this season to add on to its record win total.
“We just have to take it game-to-game, and I think we will be exceeding expectations this year,” WSU guard Jenny Steffen said.
In any case, one could say WSU has already exceeded expectations.
However, it’s probable that many didn’t expect WSU to potentially be a 20-win team.
“It was important for us to win on the road tonight,” WSU coach Scott Ballard said after the game. “Three games ago, we were tied for seventh, and now we’re tied for fourth. So we are gaining ground in the (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference).”
Against UIU, the Warriors never trailed and never looked back, pulling away from the Peacocks in the 20-point win.
The Warriors took a nine-point lead into halftime, shooting 55 percent from the field and 4 of 6 from 3-point range — an incredible 66 percent.
UIU was able to make a run to cut the lead to six at one point in the second half, but WSU guard Kelsey Homewood came off the bench and was able to knock down two huge 3-pointers to expand WSU’s lead.
Throughout the entire game, it was WSU’s balance that ultimately finished UIU off.
The Warriors had five players score in double figures.
Leading the way was senior Amanda Reimer with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting.
Coming off the bench, Homewood put in 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, which included a 4-of-6 mark from beyond the arc.
Natalie Gigler put in 13 points, Ana Wurtz scored 12, and Molly Anderson finished with 10 points, five assists and three steals.
As usual, it was the Warriors’ balance and bench scoring that got the job done. WSU’s bench combined to score 35 points.
However, one player that had an unsung game was Bonnie Bjorke, who led WSU with six rebounds and four blocks.
“We defended well the entire game,” Ballard said. “We have started to play some solid defense.”
The Warriors’ key to defeating the Peacocks was mixing up their game.
“In the halfcourt game we were attacking them in the paint, and in the transition game we were attacking them on the perimeter,” Ballard said.
The strategy worked, especially considering that the Warriors shot the ball well in all aspects of the game.
WSU shot 54 percent from the field, 57 percent from 3-point range, and even 83 percent from the free-throw stripe.
The Warriors (17-6, 7-5) are now a half-game back of Wayne State and Mary (N.D.) for second place in the NSIC.
WSU has a tough road test this weekend, taking on Wayne State on Friday and Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday.