MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State men's basketball team (6-2, 3-0 NSIC) the Winona State Warriors (4-4, 1-2 NSIC) Friday night at Taylor Center.

In the opening minutes of the game the teams traded baskets, but neither team found a rhythm.  Coming out of the first media timeout, Jamal Nixon stole the ball and the Mavericks found Juwan McCloud open for a three-pointer to take a 10-7 lead.  Tre Baumgardner came off the bench and provided an immediate offensive spark, scoring six points and helping Minnesota State to increase their lead to 19-13 with 10:09 to go in the first half. 

The Mavericks continued to put on pressure going on a 10-2 run thanks to smothering defense and a free-flowing offense.  The Warriors responded with a 12-6 run of their own to cut the Maverick lead to eight points with a minute to go in the first half and in the final possession they drilled a three-pointer to make the game 35-30 at the half. 

McCloud led all scorers in the first half with ten points and he added a pair of rebounds.  Baumgardner was the second leading scorer for the Mavericks with seven points and he added five rebounds of his own. 
Minnesota State out-shot Winona State in the first half 43.3% to 36.4% from the field and out-rebounded them 23-16. 

Cameron Kirksey got the second half scoring started after he sized up a defender and drilled a 16-footer over his outstretched arm, and after a steal on the other end, Karson Arrenholz nailed a three-pointer in transition.  Kirksey continued to make an impact on both sides of the floor, making a pair of free throws, a layup, and draining a three, before taking a charge on defense, giving the Mavericks a 50-40 lead with 13:52 to go in the second half.

Kirksey kept doing damage all over the floor, taking a beautiful pass underneath the basket and jamming it home, and draining a turnaround jumper with the defense all over him, scoring 19-points in the first 12 minutes of the second half.  Winona State had the answer from outside though narrowing the Maverick lead to 66-60 with 5:00 to go in the second half. 

Kirksey would not be denied, nailing a tough shot through a double team and after forcing a miss from the Warriors, McCloud took a screen and nailed a wide open three to extend the lead to 71-60.  As an exclamation point on the evening, Kirksey came up with a monster trailing block that transitioned into a circus layup for McCloud, and the Mavericks ended the game with a 78-62 win.
Kirksey and McCloud each finished with 23 points to lead all players and Baumgardner finished with nine points, eight rebounds, and five assists.  The Mavericks held the edge in rebounds 41-28 and out-shot the Warriors 50.9% to 38.1% from the field. 

Tomorrow night the Mavericks will face off against the Upper Iowa Peacocks at 8:00 p.m. at Taylor Center.