Wayne State 73 Augustana 69
#8 Wayne State College women's basketball team used a second half scoring surge in a 73-69 comeback win against Augustana College in NSIC Women's Basketball at Rice Auditorium in Wayne, America Saturday evening. The Wildcats trailed the Vikings 33-29 at halftime, but managed to outscore Augie 44-36 in the second half. Senior Mara Hjelle recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds as the Wildcats had four players score in double figures. The win marks the 20th straight win for the Wildcats at Rice Auditorium and their 13th straight win overall. The win makes WSC 14-1 overall and 11-0 in the NSIC and the loss drops Augie to 13-5 and 6-5 in the conference.
Augustana set the tone early in the contest as the Vikings jumped out to a 5-0 lead. The Vikings continued that pace as the first half rolled on as the Vikings shot 48.1 percent from the field going 13 of 27 in the opening stanza. The Wildcats held a lead as high as six in the first stanza after a Renne Wood three pointer, but the Wildcats only shot 31.3 percent from the field as the Vikings would build their largest lead of seven points late in the first half. The Wildcats closed the Vikings lead to four at the half at 33-29.
The Wildcats attacked the Vikings early in the first half as the Wildcats took their first lead since the 7:13 mark of the first half off of a layup by senior Alyssa Fischbach at the 14:55 mark of the second half. The Wildcats would build their lead to five thanks to a five point scoring run by Ali Schwartzwald who hit a three pointer and a layup to give the Wildcats a 46-41 lead with 13:32 remaining.
The Vikings would come back and take a 53-51 lead with 8:51 remaining, but that would be the last time the Vikings were on top as the Wildcats never trailed from that point on. The two teams were tied at 63-63 with 2:09 remaining, but an Ashley Arlen gave the Wildcats a 66-63 lead at the 1:51 mark of the stanza on a three point play as Arlen was fouled after a made layup. Fischbach would go 3 for 4 from the line late to seal the win for Wayne State 73-69.
The Wildcats ended up shooting 39.7 percent from the field on the night going 25 of 63. WSC shot 30 percent from the three point line (6-20) and 73.9 percent from the free throw line (17-23). The Wildcats out rebounded the Vikings 35 to 33. The Wildcats bench came up big for the Wildcats as the WSC bench poured in 26 points, 18 points came in the first half of play.
The Vikings shot a sizzling 50.9 percent from the field going 27 of 53. Augie also shot 38.1 percent from the three point line going 8 for 21. The Vikings were 7 of 8 from the free throw line shooting 87.5 percent.
The Wildcats were led by Hjelle with her fourth double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Hjelle had seven offensive rebounds and was 8 for 11 from the free throw line. Senior Renee Wood poured in 12 points all from behind the three point line as the senior also recorded two steals. Fischbach added 12 points as well to go along with nine rebounds. Alisha Brown added 10 points and three assists.
The Vikings were led by Alex Feeney and Molly Hayes who each poured in 19 points. Hayes was 7 of 10 from the field and 3 of 5 from the three point line. Megan Doyle added 17 points and four assists.
Wayne State is at home again next weekend as the Wildcats host Winona State Friday evening (6:00 p.m.) and Upper Iowa Saturday afternoon (4:00 p.m.) in Northern Sun Conference contests at Rice Auditorium.
