Game Summary vs. WSU / GameDay Online / Photo Gallery

WINONA, Minn. — It was the beginning of a new era for the Saint Mary's University men's basketball team and first-year head coach Todd Landrum when the Cardinals took the floor for their nonconference season opener Saturday evening.

And that new era began against an old foe — Winona State.

Defending NCAA Division II national champion Winona State.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Warriors were rather ungracious hosts, as Winona State broke open a 10-point game with a 20-2 run to open the second half en route to a 92-66 victory at WSU's McCown Gym.

The Cardinals gave WSU all it could handle for 40 minutes, trailing by just 10, 39-29 after the opening 20 minutes.

When the teams returned to the floor for the second, however, WSU had its scoring touch, the Cardinals did not, as the Warriors tossed in 20 points in the first seven minutes of the second half, while SMU managed just a Will Wright (Chicago, Ill.) basket, as Winona State turned that 10-point lead into a 28-point, 59-31 advantage.

And SMU never recovered, as WSU outscored the Cardinals 53-37 over the final 20 minute in beating the Cardinals for the 22nd straight time.

Wright led the way for SMU, recording his first collegiate double-double, scoring a team-high 22 points, while also adding 10 rebounds. Lukas Holland (La Crosse, Wis.) chipped in 19 points — including a 10-for-11 effort from the free throw line — as the SMU duo accounted for 41 of SMU's 66 points.

Bryce Welch scored a game-high 21 points to lead four Winona State players in double figures while Jon Walburg chipped in 17 points and Joel Armstrong and Curtrel Robinson added 13 and 10 points, respectively.

The Cardinals (0-1 overall) are back in action next weekend, traveling to Naperville, Ill., to take part in the North Central Tournament. SMU opens tournament play against the NAIA's third-ranked Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) University.