Flowers' elbow jump shot with 19:32 to play in the first half put the Winona State University men's basketball team up 2-0 on its way to a 68-60 victory Tuesday over Northern State at McCown Gymnasium.

He was only getting started.

Flowers, the older brother of University of Wisconsin guard Michael Flowers, finished with a game-high 33 points on 10-for-22 shooting — igoing 4-for-10 on 3-pointers and 5-for-8 shooting in the second half — to go with eight rebounds, four steals and two assists. It was Flowers' fourth highest scoring total of the season and highest single game individual output of any team in the regional.

"He's great," NSU coach Don Meyer said. "I think he should be playing NFL football. That's what he is, a football player. But he's an athletic football player. He could be a great (defensive) back."

If there is a silver lining for coach Meyer and the Northern State Wolves it is that they'll never again have to face Flowers and the Warriors' prolific senior class.

This was not the first time Flowers took over a game against the Wolves. This season, Flowers scored 34 points in the first of four games against NSU. Flowers previously had two 27-point games against NSU.

Tuesday night, Flowers was a terror on both ends of the court, pestering ball handlers on defense and attacking the Wolves' 2-3 zone on offense.

"When I saw they had a zone defense, the first thing I thought was coach saying 'get in the middle,'" Flowers said. "That's kind of my spot. I love that spot right there in the middle. Just flash through, hopefully create an opening and either go up for a shot or kick it to John (Smith) or someone in the corner for a 3-pointer."

All 10 of Flowers' free-throw attempts came in the final 1 minute, 3 seconds of the game as NSU, down less than 10 and clinging to hopes of a comeback, put the Warriors on the line late. Flowers converted nine of 10.

"First thing I'll admit, all I could think about was last year, the national championship game when I missed that free throw," Flowers said. Flowers missed a free throw down the stretch of the of the Warriors heartbreaking 77-75 national championship loss to Barton (N.C.) last year.

"I just took a moment and took a breath," Flowers went on. "I worked all summer on my free throws. I've been through it a million times. You just have to let it go."

Flowers sank the last of his free throws to a boisterous chant of "MVP." Pointing both index fingers high in the air, Flowers smiled and, for the last time of his career, slowly walked from the McCown Gymnasium floor to a standing ovation.