Winona State 67, Grand Valley State 54

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – After being held scoreless throughout the final 11:41 of the first half, third-ranked Winona State opened the second stanza on a 20-5 run en route to a 67-54 victory versus top-ranked Grand Valley State in an Elite Eight quarterfinal game tonight at the MassMutual Center.

Winona State (36-1) will now meet either Bentley or North Alabama in a national semifinal game tomorrow. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 pm.

The Warriors shot 53.8 percent (14-for-28) from the floor, including 46.2 percent (6-for-13) from 3-point land throughout the second half. Conversely, the Lakers (36-1) connected on only 32.0 percent (8-for-25) of their chances, including 18.2 percent (2-for-11) from long range, during that time span.

“We’re obviously are very disappointed. We didn’t start out the way we wanted, but we had a good run to close the first half. In the second half, we really didn’t come out with a lot of energy. They did a great job on us defensively. That has not happed to us in a long time, but they were better than us tonight,” said Grand Valley State head coach Ric Wesley.

Senior guard Jonte Flowers tossed in 19 of his 29 points following intermission, and senior guard Quincy Henderson registered a “double-double” with 10 points and 11 rebounds to lead Winona State in a ballgame that not only featured two of the nation’s top-three ranked NCAA Division II clubs, but two teams that came into the evening with a collective 71-1 record.

“At halftime we said to each other not to worry about the past or the future, but to live in the moment and live it fearlessly. We just wanted to play ball like we know how to play and we can come out on top,” said Flowers.

He certainly followed his own advice. Flowers knocked down a trey at the onset of the second half and then finished inside on the next trip up the floor, as he helped Winona State erase its 29-24 halftime deficit and tie the game at 29-29.

Flowers then continued to take command by scoring eight of the Warriors’ next 13 points in a variety of ways that made it 44-34 Winona State with 11:44 remaining. Flowers converted a pair of layups, hit a free throw and then drained a 3-pointer to account for his outburst.

It remained a 10-point affair, 50-40, with 8:49 left when Grand Valley State scored six unanswered points to cut its deficit to four, 50-46, during the next five minutes, as freshman forward Justin Ringler hit two free throws and finished inside, before Eziukwu drove home a dunk.

However, Smith slammed one home at the other end and then Henderson knocked down a 3-pointer to put Winona State in the driver’s seat, 55-46, with 4:21 left. Grand Valley State got no closer than six points the rest of the way as the Warriors established a school record with their 36th win on the year.

Senior center Callistus Eziukwu finished with 19 points and eight rebounds and Ringler registered a “double-double” via 15 points and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes off the bench to pace the Lakers. Senior guard Jason Jamerson added 14 points.

It initially appeared as if there would be little drama as Winona State jumped out to a 24-11 lead during the opening eight minutes; however, Grand Valley State buckled down defensively and scored 18 unanswered points during the final 11:41 of the first half to go in the locker room up five, 29-24, at the break.

“All season long we have been a second half team and unfortunately we thought that coming out up five that this game was just playing out the way many others have played out all season long, ”said Ringler.

Instead, the second half belonged to Winona State as Grand Valley State had its second consecutive appearance at the Elite Eight halted after one game. Last season, the Lakers fell to eventual national champion Barton College, 83-81 in overtime.