Winona State Men Sets Sights on Share of NSIC Regular Season Title as Plenty of Work Remains, Head Coach, Todd Eisner, Joins the WSN

(KWMN)- The Winona State Men did their job from McCown Gymnasium over the weekend as they go 2-0, getting wins over the U of Mary and Minot State.

On Saturday, the Warriors celebrated Senior Day, honoring two transfers in Isaiah Thompson, and Jhei-R Jones, as well as Connor Drew, who’s started for the Warriors all four of his season. Jones had 17 in the win, while Thompson finished with 15. Drew played a mere 13 minutes, as the coaching staff elected to provide rest for Drew when the game was well in control.

The 2-0 weekend, as well as needed results from elsewhere in the NSIC, brought the Warriors into a first-place tie with a whopping four other teams. Head coach for the Warriors, Todd Eisner, said that in his 10 years coaching in the NSIC, he’s never seen this many teams tied at the top heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Two wins and the Warriors at least earn a share of the regular season title, and in turn get a first-round bye in the conference tournament. A 1-1, or worse, weekend and things get very convoluted. Amazingly enough, the Warriors could finish as high as 1st place, and as low as 8th place. Either way, at the very worst, they’ll be hosting a first-round conference tournament matchup. The Warriors do own a tiebreaker over Concordia St. Paul, but as for the other teams tied at the top spot, and those nearing behind, the tiebreakers run much deeper than just head-to-head. Those tiebreakers can change over the weekend.

The Warriors will have their final games be their most important of the season. They’ll hit the road to face Minnesota State-Moorhead on Friday. A team they lost to once already and is the hottest team in the conference in the midst of a six-game win streak and one game back of first place. Then it’s St. Cloud State on Saturday, another team they lost to after blowing a nine-point lead in the final minute of the game, who sits tied for first place.

Eisner joined the WSN to discuss the wild ending of the regular season, how they can have a successful weekend, and more.