December 13, 1939
#1 Winona State (10-0) @ Bemidji State (3-5)
The Beavers held us in a 3-3 tie for four minutes or so, then we broke it wide open. Up 25-8 with 10:46 to play, we cranked up the defense and put the hammer down. By halftime we led 42-20 and had the Beavers running for cover. They never made it a close one in the second half either, as we blasted our way to another easy win, 85-57.
Player of the Game: Roy Wright (13 pts 11 reb 1 ast 7 blk)
Honorable Mentions: Anthony Soward (25 pts 1 reb) Rickey James (13 pts 8 reb 1 ast)
December 21, 1939
#1 Winona State (11-0) @ #5 Kentucky Wesleyan (9-2)
We took our first lead on Wesleyan with 14:15 to go in the half, as a Steve Booth triple put us ahead 10-8. And though the Panthers couldn’t hit a shot to save their lives over the next seven minutes, they did play good enough defense to still be within nine, down 23-14, with 7:10 to play. But once our shots really started to fall they were quickly out of this one. We led 44-22 at the half and had held the Panthers to 30 percent shooting from the floor while forcing 12 turnovers! Wesleyan fought back in the second half and played much better all-around basketball, but we’d built such a solid lead we weren’t about to be overtaken. We won this one easily in the end, 82-66 to remain undefeated.
Player of the Game: Steve Booth (23 pts 2 reb 6 ast 2 stl)
Honorable Mentions: Anthony Soward (23 pts 6 reb) Rickey James (13 pts 15 reb 1 ast 1 blk)
Heading into the final week of non-conference play, we and UT Permian Basin (11-0) are the only two undefeated teams left in Division II basketball. Sioux Falls (11-2) and Saginaw Valley State (8-3) are #3 and #5 respectively, making our conference quite formidable yet again, though aside from us in the top five the remainder of the conference is as up-for-grabs as ever.
Update: UT Permian Basin lost to unranked Henderson State 74-71 on the 25th, leaving us alone as an undefeated team heading into the Alaska Fairbanks game. And Coker lost to unranked Erskine just last night 69-62, giving them their second loss pre-conference.
December 28, 1939
Alaska Fairbanks (6-4) @ #1 Winona State (12-0)
The Nanooks came into this one completely worn down and thunderstruck as we blasted them 16-2 in the first five minutes of the game. We led 29-5 with ten minutes to play in the half and by the time we did reach the break we’d pretty much slaughtered them 60-16, the most lopsided game of basketball I’ve yet seen in this league. I gave my third team a lot of playing time in the second half, but it didn’t matter – the damage was done. We still won in blowout style 95-61.
Player of the Game: Steve Booth (22 pts 6 ast 1 stl)
Honorable Mentions: Roy Wright (14 pts 7 reb 3 ast 3 stl 3 blk) Anthony Soward (10 pts 2 reb 2 ast 1 stl)
Pre-Conference Standings
NorthStar Athletic East
01 - #1 Winona State (13-0) -- RPI: 1
02 - #4 Saginaw Valley State (9-3) -- RPI: 10
03 - Wayne State (6-5) -- RPI: 146
04 - Minnesota St.-Moorehead (6-5) -- RPI: 194
05 - Concordia-St. Paul (6-5) -- RPI: 246
06 - Michigan Tech (5-6) -- RPI: 132
07 - Concordia (5-6) -- RPI: 180
08 - Loras (3-8) -- RPI: 285
NorthStar Athletic West
01 - #3 Sioux Falls (12-2) -- RPI: 2
02 - Northern State (7-4) -- RPI: 54
03 - Minot State (7-4) -- RPI: 121
04 - Black Hills State (6-6) -- RPI: 242
05 - South Dakota M&T (5-6) -- RPI: 300
06 - Augustana (4-7) -- RPI: 87
07 - Mary (4-7) -- RPI: 310
08 - Minnesota State (1-10) -- RPI: 335