By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's men's basketball team stood toe-to-toe with NCAA Division II Winona State Saturday evening in the teams' exhibition opener at the Warriors' McCown Gym.
 
Over the final 20 minutes, however, the Warriors wore the Cardinals down, slowing pulling way in recording an 84-67 victory.
 
Down by 11, 36-25 late in the first half, the Cardinals used a half-ending 11-2 run to whittle the Warriors' lead to two, 38-36 at the break.
 
The Cardinals pulled even, 44-44, with 14:54 remaining in the second half, but the Warriors took control, building their lead to nine, 60-51 midway through the final 20 minutes, before the Warriors used a game-ending 24-16 run to seal the victory.
 
Eli Cave (St. Paul, Minn.) netted a team-high 16 points for the Cardinals, while Raheem Anthony (Chicago, Ill.) chipped in 12.
 
The Cardinals officially kick off the 2019-20 season on Nov. 15, playing host to Crown in a 7 p.m. nonconference game at the Saint Mary's Gym. The Warriors, meanwhile, open their 2019-20 season on the road, heading to Kansas City, Mo., on Friday and Saturday to take part in the Central Region Challenge. WSU will face Missouri Southern State on Friday at 2:15 p.m., before squaring off against Washburn the following afternoon, also at 2:15 p.m.