LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Taylor Cameron led the Winona State men’s basketball team with 18 points but the Warriors fell to No. 1 West Liberty 110-84 Thursday in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Louisville, Kentucky.   Box Score

The two teams were evenly matched during the first half, but West Liberty took control in the second to post the victory and move on to Saturday’s Final Four.

Cameron was able to get to the basket at will against the Hilltoppers, going five-of-six from the floor. The junior played just two minutes in the first half due to foul trouble but led the Warrior offense during the game’s final 20 minutes. He also knocked down all seven of his shots from the free throw line.

Clayton Vette added 14 points for WSU, upping his point total on the season to 697, the second-most in a single campaign in program history. The NABC Division II National Player of the Year passed David Zellmann (694 points, 2005-06) and John Smith (684 points, 2007-08) and only trails Carter Glad (732 points, 1988-89) on the WSU single-season scoring list.

Vette finishes his Winona State career with 1,750 points, the sixth most in school history.

Four Warriors reached double figures scoring, with Grant Johnson adding 13 points and Kellen Taylor scoring ten. Winona State connected on eight 3-point baskets, with Taylor, Xavier Humphrey and Zander Culver each hitting two.

Winona State cut into West Liberty’s lead early in the second half, with Cameron scoring five straight WSU points to pull the team within six, 59-53. West Liberty responded with an 11-0 run to move its lead to 17 points at the 11:50 mark. The Hilltoppers were able to increase their lead to as many as 31 points late in the game.

Vette led the Warriors with 12 first half points as WSU trailed 50-41 at the break. The Warriors shot 59 percent (16-of-27) in an opening half that was filled with fouls. The teams were whistled for a combined 21 fouls in the first 20 minutes with eight different players holding two fouls at the break.

The 110 points scored by West Liberty are the most given up by a Winona State team in the NCAA Tournament.

Winona State finishes its season with a 27-8 record, the ninth consecutive year the Warriors have won at least 20 games.