After a loss to Wartburg College Saturday the Yellowjacket men's basketball squad returned to the hardwood Tuesday night against perennial Division II power Winona State University in Winona., Minnesota. While Winona State had the advantage in probably just about every category as they beat the Superior tonight, 92-69, the Yellowjackets will use this game as a stepping stone as they head into the Thanksgiving break where they will host the 5th Annual Merrill Thompson Tip-Off Classic Saturday and Sunday.
 
The end score is not indicative of how close this game was played between the two teams. In the first half, the Yellowjackets held a brief 5-4 lead after going on a 5-0 run thanks to two free-throws from Zach Schradle (Clayton, Wis./Clayton) and a three-pointer from Brian Lindblom (Spooner, Wis./Spooner). From there, Winona State regained the lead at 7-4 on a three by Conrad Masberg. After that, Winona State would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the game, but Superior would hang around, thanks in part to 10 points and eight rebounds in the first half from Schradle. The Yellowjackets shot the ball extremely well in the first half, 55%, but 12 turnovers limited them to only 20 shots to Winona State's 29 attempts. The Yellowjackets had a decisive rebounding advantage, 15-7, but still trailed 43-35.
 
Things were hanging on the edge for the Yellowjackets for the first part of the second half. After a three-pointer by the Yellowjackets' Johnquez Brooks (North Las Vegas, Nev./Valley), Winona State head coach Mike Leaf was called for a technical foul. Caleb Burch (Eau Claire, Wis./Altoona) knocked down both free-throws to bring the Yellowjackets to within eight points, 68-60, with 9:29 to play in the game. The technical foul didn't give Superior the spark it needed, however, and it was Winona State that responded. They would finish the next 9:29 on a 23-9 run to run away with the game.
 
The Yellowjackets played this game closer than the 23-point spread it ended as. Superior was led by the sophomore Schradle, who had a team-high in points (14) and rebounds (11). Ty Ketz (Clayton, Wis./Clayton) had 13 points, Lindblom had 12 and Brooks had 11. Superior's bench accounted for 11 points on 5-of-12 shooting while Winona State was provided 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting. Winona State also took control of the rebounding battle, as they out rebounded Superior 24-11 in the second half. Riley Bambenek led six Warrior players in double-figures with 22 points.
 
After 12 turnovers in the first half, Superior only committed six turnovers in the second half. Winona State's Kyle Bauman had five blocks in the game. Superior didn't record a block or steal in the game, but still forced eight turnovers by Winona State. Winona State shot 60.3% from the field for Superior's 45.1%.
 
With the loss, Superior drops to 2-3 on the season, but all five games have been on the road.
 
The Yellowjackets will make their long-awaited home debut this weekend in the Merrill Thompson Tip-Off Classic. Saturday, November 29 they will host Northland College at 8:00 p.m. The event will feature UW-River Falls and St. Scholastica in addition to Northland College and the Yellowjackets. Full coverage of the 5th Annual Merrill Thompson Tip-Off Classic can be found here.