St. Cloud State
Sioux Falls
No. 21 St. Cloud State Men’s Basketball Set for NSIC Tournament at Sanford Pentagon
2/26/2026 2:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Huskies open with Sioux Falls in quarterfinals
St. Cloud, MN. – No. 21 St. Cloud State Men's Basketball (23-5, 20-2 NSIC) begin postseason play this weekend as they take on Sioux Falls on Saturday, February 28 in the quarterfinals of the NSIC Tournament. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon.
Follow the Huskies
All games of the NSIC Tournament will be streamed live on Midco Sports Plus (registration required). Live Stats will be provided by the NSIC for all games. All St. Cloud State games will also be broadcasted on the Varsity Network. Steve Linzmeier, the Voice of St. Cloud State Basketball, can be heard on all of the audio broadcasts.
Last Time Out
St. Cloud State closed out the regular season this past weekend as they hosted Concordia-St. Paul and traveled to Winona State.
Huskies Complete Perfect Home Season with 89-78 Win Over Golden Bears- February 18, 2026
CSP produced a strong start to the game as they opened on an 11-3 run in the first four minutes. St. Cloud State would weather the storm with threes by Azayah Washington and Anish Ramlall, but the Golden Bears stayed hot as they ultimately pushed their lead up to 15-points after making eight of their first 10 three-point shots. A ramped up defense partnered with a new found offensive rhythm saw SCSU rip off a 20-0 run as they took a 37-32 lead with 2:20 left in the half. The top defensive unit in the NSIC strung a multitude of stops together to power the run. The Huskies were cleaner in screen navigation and containing the ball while their closeouts to shooters were faster and crisper. After starting 8/10 from three, CSP would miss their final nine threes to end the half. The Huskies would go on to lead 43-34 at the half after Luke Winkel cashed back-to-back threes with one of them beating the halftime buzzer.
Moving into the second half, CSP came out hot with an 8-2 run to cut the lead down to three points. The teams would battle back-and-forth as the game would be tied at 55 with 12:30 remaining. Washington retook the lead for SCSU as he connected on a midrange jumper. After a series of stops by both teams, Ramlall got downhill on a rack attack and finished through contact for the and-one as Halenbeck Hall started to buzz. The momentum continued as another stop saw Washington break the paint and kick-out to a wide open Ramlall who drilled a slot three. SCSU would push the lead up to 13 with under eight minutes remaining as the freshman cashed a three to set the score at 70-57. A 7-0 run by CSP cut the lead down to six, but the St. Cloud native again rang home a momentum killing three. Despite pushing the lead to double-digits on multiple occasions, the Golden Bears continued to chip away as the lead dwindled to five with 2:43 left. Out of a timeout, Nate Dahl would drain a massive three to put the lead back up to eight. A block and inside finish by Wyatt Hawks again pushed the lead to 10 points. St. Cloud State would ultimately go on to win 89-78 for their 15th consecutive win and a completed a perfect season at Halenbeck Hall with a 13-0 mark.
Top Huskies
- Azayah Washington led the Huskies in scoring with 20 points on an efficient 7/13 shooting. He also totaled four assist, two rebounds, and four threes. This was his second game scoring 20+ points this season.
- Luke Winkel stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, five rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and three threes. This was Winkel's second game dishing 9+ assists this season.
- Anish Ramlall produced an efficient 19 points (5/10) to go with seven rebounds, two steals, and four threes. This was a season-high in scoring for Ramlall and second game with 4+ threes this season.
Defense Shines as Huskies Win 16th Straight Game to Close Regular Season- February 21, 2026
Winona State burst out with an 11-3 lead in the first five minutes as the Huskies called a timeout. Out of the timeout, SCSU ramped up their defense as they held WSU to one field goal over the next five minutes. With the defense stringing stops, St. Cloud State was able to find their footing offensively as a layup by Kynan Philippe cut the deficit down to one. The next five minutes saw the teams stay interlocked, but back-to-back threes by Anish Ramlall and Azayah Washington capped off an 8-0 as St. Cloud State led 24-17 with 4:24 left in the half. SCSU would ultimately go into halftime leading 27-22. Following the first 11 points by Winona State where they shot 5/10 from the field, the Huskies would clamp down and hold WSU to 11 points for the final 14:51 of the half on 4/19 shooting and 0/10 from three.
Out of the break, SCSU held a steady lead through the first few minutes as the strong defensive play carried over. Following a steal by Nate Dahl, Luke Winkel finished the ensuing layup which pushed the lead up to double-digits at the 14:29 mark of the second half. St. Cloud State would have an answer every time the Warriors looked to cut into the lead and capture momentum. Winona State never got closer than seven points the rest of the way as SCSU went on to win 62-50. WSU would shoot 32% the rest of the game after their 11-3 lead.
Top Huskies
- Anish Ramlall scored nine points (3/6) to go with two rebounds, and a career-high four steals. All three of his makes were threes. This was his eighth game with 3+ threes and sixth straight game with 2+ steals.
- Wyatt Hawks tallied 10 points, seven rebounds, and three stocks (two blocks and a steal). This was Hawks 16th multi-block game.
- Lee Marks III compiled seven points and rebounds along with two steals. This was Marks III 11th game with 7+ rebounds and sixth multi-steal game.
Top Dog
Entering the NSIC Tournament, St. Cloud State holds the top seed having won the NSIC regular season title. St. Cloud State has won 16 games in a row which is the longest winning streak since 1985-86 where they won 19 games in a row. The last time SCSU won the NSIC Tournament was 2010.
Home Sweet Home
The Huskies played their final home game of the season and finished with an undefeated record of 13-0 at Halenbeck Hall. It is the first time since 1987-88 where they went undefeated at home in the regular season where they also went 13-0.
Block Party
With six blocks this past weekend, junior Wyatt Hawks jumped into the top three all-time in blocks with 118. He is swatting 2.3 shots per game.
The block rankings at St. Cloud State are as follows:
1. Sean Smith (2017-19) 201
2. Andrew Bernstetter (2007-11) 174
3. Wyatt Hawks (2023-Present) 118
For his efforts throughout the year, Hawks would be named NSIC Defensive Player of the Year and earn First Team All-NSIC. He led the NSIC in blocks and blocks per game while anchoring the top defense in the conference. He is the first Husky to be named Defensive Player of the Year since Sean Smith in 2019.
On a national level, the White Bear Lake, MN native is 7th in all of Division II with 65 blocks and 12th in blocks per game
Cool Hand Luke
For the second time in his young career, sophomore Luke Winkel would earn First Team All-NSIC Honors. Winkel finished eighth in the NSIC in scoring with 18.1 points and averaged the most points since Anthony Roberts in 2022. The Ankeny, Iowa native totaled seven games with 25+ points and sits 12th all-time in scoring average at SCSU with 15.5 points per game. He is the first Husky to accumulate consecutive seasons of First Team All-NSIC since Roberts in 2021 & 2022.
The duo of Winkel and Hawks was the first First Team All-NSIC pairing since Jon Averkamp and Gage Davis in 2018.
Coach of the Year
Guiding the Huskies to their first Conference Championship since 2003, Head Coach Quincy Henderson was named NSIC Coach of the Year. Henderson and the Huskies produced their highest win total since the 2017-18 season and strung together consecutive seasons of 20+ wins. He is the fourth Coach of the Year in program history joining Kevin Schlagel (2002-03), Butch Raymond (1985-86 & 1986-87), and Noel Olson (1969-70 & 1975-76).
Glass Cleaners
St. Cloud State comes into this weekend as the top rebounding team in the NSIC with 40.9 boards per game and a +5.7 rebounding margin. On a national level; they are 10th in Division II in rebounds per game and 11th in defensive rebounds per game at 28.1.
Region Risers
Entering this week, St. Cloud State was ranked as the No. 21 team in Division II via the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll and the No. 5 team in the Central Region. This is the first time since 2018 where the Huskies were nationally ranked. With the NCAA Tournament approaching, SCSU continues to make a strong argument for the dance whether they win the NSIC Tournament for the auto-bid or as an at-large team. Eight teams make the regional NCAA Tournament.
St. Cloud State Statistical Leaders (total-average)
- Points- Luke Winkel (488-18.1)
- Rebounds- Wyatt Hawks (241-8.6)
- Offensive rebounds- Wyatt Hawks (81-2.9)
- Assists- Luke Winkel (111-4.1)
- Steals- Luke Winkel (38-1.4)
- Blocks- Wyatt Hawks (65-2.3)
- Stocks- Wyatt Hawks (83-2.9)
- Field goals made- Luke Winkel (155-5.7)
- Three-point field goals made- Luke Winkel (48-1.7)
- Free throw makes- Luke Winkel (130-4.8)
St. Cloud State Team Stats (NSIC Ranking)
- 76.3 points per game (10th) | 66.3 points per game allowed (1st) | 10.0 scoring margin (1st)
- 42.2 field goal percentage (14th) | 30.2 three-point percentage (16th) | 71.7 free throw percentage (13th)
- 40.1 opponent field goal percentage (1st) | 28.4 opponent three-point percentage (1st)
- 40.9 rebounds per game (1st) | 12.8 offensive rebounds per game (2nd)
- 35.2 opponent rebounds per game (11th) | 5.7 rebounding margin (1st)
- 11.0 turnovers per game (7th) | 12.5 turnovers forced per game (4th) | 1.54 turnover margin (3rd)
- 3.57 blocks per game (3rd)
- 7.14 steals per game (5th)
- 12.04 assists per game (12th)
- 7.4 three-point field goals made per game (13th)
Series History
Saturday's game against Sioux Falls will be the 24th all-time meeting between the programs with SCSU leading the series 16-7. The teams played twice in the regular season with each team winning on their home floor.
Huskies Drop First Conference Game with 82-77 Loss to Sioux Falls- December 18, 2025
The Huskies opened with a strong first four minutes of defense as Sioux Falls only connected on one field goal in that span. SCSU would hold a 9-4 lead before a triple and layup tied the game at nine at the 14:23 mark of the first half. From that point, the rest of the first half was a back-and-forth battle with neither team holding a big lead. The Huskies biggest lead came to be five points while the Cougars was six. USF closed the half on an 8-4 run as St. Cloud State went into halftime trailing 36-33.
The second half carried over the tight play from the first half as a three by Azayah Washington gave the Huskies their first lead since the first half. A putback layup by Lee Marks III propped SCSU to a 56-53 lead and forced a Sioux Falls timeout with 10:52 remaining. The Cougars responded out of their timeout with an 8-2 run as they then took a three-point lead and forced a timeout by the Huskies. With 5:03 left in the game, Sioux Falls worked their way up to nine-point lead. SCSU roared back with a 7-0 run capped off by an and-one by Wyatt Hawks to bring them within two with 1:46 remaining. While St. Cloud State continued to fight and battle, but Sioux Falls closed out the game at the free throw line by making nine of their final 11 attempts as they ultimately went on to win 82-77 and give the Huskies their first conference loss of the season.
Top Huskies
- Luke Winkel scored a career-high 30 points with four made threes. He also grabbed seven rebounds and nabbed a career-high five steals.
- Wyatt Hawks closed in on a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds. Hawks shot 8/16 while recording three assists and swatting a career-high five shots. This was his sixth game above nine rebounds.
- Nate Dahl totaled 13 points (5/9), seven rebounds, and a steal. Dahl tied his season-high in scoring on the evening.
Huskies Cruise to 102-65 Win Over Sioux Falls for 12th Straight Win- February 7, 2026
St. Cloud State burst out the gates with a 7-2 run as Lee Marks III finished a fastbreak layup for an and-one. The Huskies would slowly build up their lead with hot shooting and their usual stout defensive play. A jumper by Azayah Washington pushed the lead up to 12 points with 12:24 left in the half as Sioux Falls called a timeout. SCSU was consistently able to break the paint off perimeter drives and then finish inside as they shot 56% from two in the half. A three-pointer by Anish Ramlall with 3:11 left in the half pushed the lead up to 20 points. That lead held firm as SCSU went into halftime leading 53-33.
The second half saw similar results as the Huskies led by 20+ points the rest of the way with a lead as big as 37 points. St. Cloud State went on to win 102-65 for their 12th straight win. Against the top scoring offense in the NSIC, SCSU put together a pristine performance as they held the Cougars to 36.5% from the field, 16.7% from three, and forced 16 turnovers. The Huskies put together a strong offensive performance by shooting 48.5% from the field, 38.5% from three on 10 makes, and only committing three turnovers.
Top Huskies
- Kynan Philippe tallied a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He shot 8/12 from the field to go with two threes and a steal. This was Philippe's first double-double of the season and second game scoring 19+ points.
- Wyatt Hawks led the Huskies in scoring with 20 points on an efficient 9/13 shooting. He also grabbed five rebounds and added three stocks (two block and a steal). This was Hawks' second game with 20+ points this season and 13th multi-block game.
- Azayah Washington scored 17 points and dished out a career-high five assists. He also cashed four threes in the game. This was Washington's third game scoring 17+ points this season. The St. Cloud native was a team-high +32.
Scouting Sioux Falls
The Sioux Falls Cougars come into this game holding a 15-14 record with an 11-11 mark in conference play. Sioux Falls finished eighth in the NSIC Standings. The Cougars are coming off a 2024-25 season where they went 16-13 and posted a 12-10 record in the NSIC. USF finished ninth in the conference as there season ended in the first round of the NSIC Tournament to Minot State. Sioux Falls came into this season projected to finish eighth in the NSIC.
The offseason saw the Cougars lose their lone All-Conference Honoree in Creighton Morisch who earned First Team All-NSIC as well as NSIC Defensive Player of the Year.
USF is being led by freshman Brogan Madson who is seventh in the NSIC in scoring at 19.6 points per game. He is shooting 46.9% from the field and adds 3.1 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. Madson would be named NSIC Newcomer of the Year and earn First Team All-NSIC. Three other Cougars score in double-figures in Taylen Ashley (15.5), Kyle Ingwerson (13.7) and Brandon Hrncir (13.4). Ingwerson earned a Second Team All-NSIC nod.
Head Coach Chris Johnson enters his 18th season at Sioux Falls in the 2025-26 season. Johnson is the program's all-time leader in wins with 314 and was the NSIC Coach of the Year in 2019-20.
Hosting Wayne State in the first round of the NSIC Tournament, USF came away with a 94-76 win. Ashely led the Cougars with 30 points on an efficient 10/16 shooting to go with five threes, five rebounds, and two assists. Ingwerson compiled 18 points and six rebounds while Madson totaled 16 points, five assists, and three rebounds. Off the bench Gerard Bosch recorded a double-double with 12 points and rebounds.
Sioux Falls Statistical Leaders (total-average)
- Points- Brogan Madson (568-19.6)
- Rebounds- Brandon Hrncir (153-5.7)
- Offensive rebounds- Brandon Hrncir (56-2.1)
- Assists- Brogan Madson (90-3.1)
- Steals- Jacoby Mehrman (40-1.4)
- Blocks- Bryan Laue (13-0.4)
- Stocks- Jacoby Mehrman (49-1.7)
- Field goals made- Brogan Madson (182-6.3)
- Three-point field goals made- Kyle Ingerwson (79-2.8)
- Free throw makes- Brogan Madson (156-5.4)
Sioux Falls Team Stats (NSIC Ranking)
- 86.1 points per game (1st) | 85.1 points per game allowed (16th) | 1.0 scoring margin (8th)
- 46.1 field goal percentage (9th) | 33.0 three-point percentage (10th) | 71.7 free throw percentage (12th)
- 48.9 opponent field goal percentage (16th) | 35.4 opponent three-point percentage (11th)
- 39.7 rebounds per game (2nd) | 12.8 offensive rebounds per game (3rd)
- 34.3 opponent rebounds per game (5th) | 5.4 rebounding margin (2nd)
- 11.9 turnovers per game (13th) | 11.4 turnovers forced per game (7th) | -0.48 turnover margin (9th)
- 2.03 blocks per game (12th)
- 5.90 steals per game (9th)
- 15.59 assists per game (2nd)
- 7.6 three-point field goals made per game (12th)
The winner of this game will go on to play the winner of Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota State on Monday March 2 at 4:30 p.m.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Men's Basketball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
