WINONA, Minn. – The No. 15 Winona State men’s basketball team pulled back into a tie for first place in the NSIC, beating No. 8 Minnesota State 75-64 Saturday in the Warriors’ final regular season home game of the season.

Box Score

The Warriors went on a 10-3 run in the first two minutes of the second half, giving the WSU control of a physical battle for the top of the NSIC standings. Both teams are 16-4 in conference action with two games remaining in the regular season.

Winona State is 22-5 overall on the year, the seventh-best win total in program history.

WSU was balanced offensively, with four players scoring in double figures. The Warriors were solid from the field, making 48 percent (25-of-48) of their field goal attempts. Winona State also made seven shots from behind the 3-point line.

Clayton Vette led the Warriors with 19 points, going 8-of-13 from the floor. Xavier Humphrey hit three shots from behind the 3-point line while adding 16 points. Taylor Cameron scored 15 points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out four assists while Grant Johnson was the final Warrior in double-figures, scoring 12 while grabbing six boards of his own.

Winona State’s defense was strong throughout, letting MSU shoot just 14.3 percent (1-of-7) from behind the 3-point line. The Warriors also forced 14 turnovers while committing just ten of their own.

The Warriors took a 30-26 lead at the half and quickly turned it into a double-digit advantage. Mark Blacklock sank a layup that put WSU up ten, 47-37, with 11:44 to play in the game. The WSU advantage would not sink below ten points the rest of the way, reaching as many as 18 with 5:30 to play.

The win was the first for Winona State over a team ranked in the nation’s top-ten since knocking off No. 6 Minnesota State 82-74 in the NSIC Tournament on March 5, 2011. The Warriors now have 30 wins over ranked opponents under head coach Mike Leaf.

Winona State will close its regular season with road matchups against Augustana and Wayne State next weekend.