2007-08 Team Wins Poll - New Poll Starting

The 2008-09 National Championship team was considered to be the best Warrior team over the past three seasons as they defeated the 2005-06 and 2006-07 teams handily in our first Warrior Poll. The 2008-09 team received 75 votes or 48% of the votes to take home the prize. The 2007-08 team finished in second place as they received 47 votes or 30% of the vote and the 2005-06 team had 32 votes or 20% of the overall vote. We would like to thank all of those fans who voted in this poll and we hope all of you will again with our new poll.


The new Warrior Poll is a poll to see what was the best game played by the Warriors over the past 3 years. I have picked out 8 games that I thought made a huge impact on the Warriors season and were great games to watch for Warrior fans. For this poll you vote for your top 4 games that you felt the Warriors played. Then after this poll is closed in two weeks. The top four games remaining will have a new poll set up to see which game is considered to be the best game played by the Warriors over the past 3 years. I know their are many other games that could have been considered for this poll but this is what I came up with so if you have a game you think should be on the list that is not on the list just let me know and I will make sure it gets its due respect. For starters one game not on the list that was very hard to not put on was the South Dakota game from 2006 that went overtime. I hope you enjoy the new poll.


Greatest Warrior games over the past 3 years:


MSU - Mankato vs WSU March 12, 2006 - WSU 74 - MSU-Mankato 71


In a game many Warrior fans might never forget, the Warriors overcome a 16 point deficit with just 8 minutes remaining the the regional semi-final for a dramatic come from behind victory over Mankato St. Leading the frantic comeback for WSU was senior, David Zellmann, who scored 17 of his game high 26 points during the run. After a 17-4 run that started at the 8 minute mark the Warriors finally tied the game with 49 seconds to play and David Zellmann put WSU up for good with a steal and lay-up with 22 seconds remaining. On the next possession Mankato gets called for an offensive goal-tending on a tip in that would have tied the game, Zellmann then makes 1 of 2 free throws and a desperation 3 point shot is off the mark for the Mavs at the horn. To go along with Zellmann's big night, sophomore John Smith, adds 19 points and 16 rebounds. This was the WSU's second consecutive game playing with out starting point guard Zach Malvik, who is out with a broken leg. The win put WSU in the regional finals, where they beat Northern St. for a forth time 96-86.


Barton College vs WSU - March 22, 2006 - WSU 86 - Barton 78 OT


In the Warriors first ever Elite 8 game, WSU builds a 14 point first half lead, 26-12, only to be down 43-38 at halftime to the Bulldogs. Barton then extends the lead to 12 points, 56-44, before the Warriors start to stage another comeback. WSU is able to tie the game at 63 with just under six minutes left and then are able to take a lead 68-66 with 1:27 left on the clock. After battling back and forth, John Smith misses a shot at the buzzer that sends the game to overtime. In the overtime period the Warriors take total control of the game as John Smith and David Zellmann knock down some key free throws to help WSU pull of the win. It is the first win ever for WSU in the Elite 8 who was plauged by foul trouble for most of the game as Quincy Henderson, Jonte' Flowers and Curt Robinson all foul out. Leading the Warriors was sophomore, John Smith, who had a tremendous game of 25 points, 17 rebounds and 7 blocks in 44 minutes of play. To go along with John's great performance senior, David Zellmann, added 18 points and 9 rebounds in the game and Zach Malvik, playing his first significant minutes with a broken leg, chips in with a huge 26 minutes, 5 points, 4 rebounds coming off the bench.



Virginia Union vs WSU - March 25, 2006 - WSU 73 - Virginia Union 61


The Warriors win the 2006 NCAA Division II National Championship in a rather non dramatic fashion that had been seen up to this point as they took down the defending National Champion 73-61. WSU dominated the first half of play getting up by as many as 17 points on two different occasions but Virginia Union battles back to make it only a 9 point lead for WSU at halftime, 38-29. In the second half the Warriors are able to maintain the lead as the Panthers were only able to get it as close as a 5 point game with 8:32 remaining. From there the WSU closes out the game with a couple of big three point shots and free throws to win the schools first Division II National Championship. For the game the Warriors have many individuals who had outstanding days. David Zellmann, scored a team high 26 points while going 7-15 from the 3 point line. John Smith, who is named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament, finishes off his season with another double double as he collects 10 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocked shots. Jonte' Flowers is also a key contributer in the game as he is named "CBS Player of the Game" for his 15 point, 6 rebounds, 5 assist and 3 steal effort. Zach Malvik, playing on his broken leg, finishes with 10 points in 35 minutes and Quincy Henderson flies under the radar with 12 points and holding Division II Player of the Year, Darius Hargrove, to 9 points on 2-10 shooting. The Warriors end the season with a 22 game winning streak and the story of Division II basketball with the win.



St. Cloud St. vs WSU - March 10, 2007 - WSU 100 - St. Cloud 73


A game that will not be remembered for how it finished but will be because it was the game that WSU won to break the Division II record for consecutive wins at 53. The old record was held by Langston University in Oklahoma which was set back in 1946 at 52 consecutive games. The Huskies hung with the Warriors for much of the first half as WSU went into halftime with only a 46-39 lead. But the Warriors were too much in the second half as they went on a 16-2 run to open up an 18 point lead with 13:54 left and it was all down hill from there for the Huskies. For the game, Zach Malvik lead WSU with 30 points, John Smith chipped in with 16, Jonte' Flowers add 15 and David Johnson finished the game with 10.



Central Missouri vs WSU - March 22, 2007 - WSU 90 - Central Missouri 85 OT


In a game that pretty much had it all, it was WSU who delivered the final blow to knock out the Mules in a remarkable game. The Warriors who lead for much of the first half built a 10 point lead with about 8 minutes left only to see the Mules cut the lead to one 37-36 going into the break. Then early in the second half Central Missouri went on a 14-2 run to put WSU down 11 with 12 minutes left in the game. For the rest of the half the Warriors battled to cut down the lead before taking a lead themselves on a David Johnson 3 pointer to go up 68-67. WSU then maintained a lead until an unbelievable stretch of plays with the Warriors up 2 with 1:45 left in the game started. Central Missouri missed 4 close range shots but also grabbed 4 offensive rebounds before Theo Jones knocked down a 3 pointer with 1:11 left to put the Mules up 1. The Warriors then turnover the inbounds pass and Zach Wright get fouled plus a hoop with 40 seconds left to give Central Missouri a 4 point lead. A jumper by Jonte' Flowers with 29 seconds left and then a Mules turnover as a player dribbles the ball off their foot leads to a John Smith lay-up with 18 seconds left and the game is headed for overtime. Then in the overtime period the Warriors make enough plays to come up with a 90-85 overtime victory. Jonte' Flowers scored a team high 32 points on 13-17 shooting, John Smith adds 25 points and 12 rebounds and Zach Malvik finishes with 19 points in the game. As a team the Warriors shoot a remarkable 35-51 - 66% from the floor in the win.


Grand Valley St. vs WSU - March 26, 2008 - WSU 67 - GVSU 54

The Warriors beat the undefeated (36-0), #1 ranked Lakers team in a game that was anticipated all season by D2 basketball fans. In a game that saw the Warriors run out to a 24-11 with 10:41 left to play in the first half and totally dominating GVSU. The Lakers come roaring back with an 18-0 run over the next 10:41, holding the Warriors scoreless and head into halftime with a 29-24 lead. The Warriors though respond to the GVSU run by going on a 20-5 run to start the second half to take a 44-34 lead with 11:44 left in the game. After a quick burst by GVSU to bring the score to 50-46, WSU ends the game by going on a 13-4 run to seal the win. The Warriors are lead by seniors, Jonte' Flowers, 29 points on (11-17) shooting (5-8) from 3 and Quincy Henderson who posted a double double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. With the win WSU advances on to face the another undefeated team in Bentley College the following night.


Bentley College vs WSU - March 27, 2008 - WSU 86 - Bentley 75

The Warriors were able to beat the other #1 team in the nation and undefeated team (37-0) on back to back nights when took down Bentley College for a second consecutive season in the Elite 8. The Warriors quickly shot out of the gates to a 5-0 lead but the lead was not lived long as Bentley quick took over the lead and the game as they went up by as many as 9 points during the 1st half. With the Warriors down at halftime 36-30 things were not looking the best for them as they were struggling on the offensive end. But in the second half the Warriors found their offensive rhythm as they outscored Bentley 56-39 in the second half as many key runs during the half led to the victory. WSU ran out of the gates on a 18-11 run in the first 7 minutes of the half to take a 49-48 lead but then Bentley went on a quick 6-0 burst to regain the lead and the momentum for a minute before the Warriors responded with a 9-0 run taking control of the game when David Johnson made a run real left handed shot while being fouled and falling to the ground. That shot and free throw gave the Warriors a five point lead and all the momentum they needed as Quincy Henderson finished Bentley off with a 3 in the corner to put WSU up 9 with 1:17 left in the game. John Smith lead 4 Warriors who finished in double figures by scoring 22 points, Jonte' Flowers added 20 points, 8 rebounds, Quincy Henderson had 17 points, 9 rebounds and David Johnson chipped in with 16 points. The victory put the Warriors in the National Championship game for a 3rd straight season.


Augusta State vs WSU - March 29, 2008 - WSU 87 - Augusta St. 76

The Warriors finish off a dramatic final game with a come from behind victory against Augusta St. to take home their second National Championship in three seasons. WSU jumped again out to a quick lead but once again lost all of their offensive rhythm as the 1st half went on. The Warriors were down by as many as 15 points in the first half before Quincy Henderson hit a three in the corner to cut the Jaguars lead down to 12 (44-32) at halftime. For the half the Warriors hit only 38% of their shots while Augusta St. shot a lights up 69% from the floor. The beginning of the second half did not start out any better for WSU as they quickly found themselves down 16 points just 3 minutes into the second half. But then senior Jonte' Flowers sparked the Warriors has he quickly scored 6 points to make it a 10 point game with 15 minutes left in the game. The Jaguars responded with a couple of hoops but they suddenly could not stop a Warrior team that found it's stride on the offensive end. The Warriors continued their comeback as they went on a 12-0 run to tie the game with 10 minutes left. After going back and forth with Augusta St. over the next five minutes the Warriors took the lead for good in the game with 5:25 left in the game on a Ben Fischer lay-up. The Warriors would continue to extend their lead until the final horn sounded. WSU had won their second National Championship in three year. The Warriors were lead by seniors, Jonte' Flowers, 30 points, 4 steals, 4, John Smith's, 18 points (4-4) from the 3 point line and Quincy Henderson's 13 point, 10 rebound performance. Travis Whipple also hit double figure scoring in the game as he added a huge 13 points, many of them coming in the first half.

I hope you enjoyed the recaps and have fun voting! Go Warriors!!!