#7 Wayne State 87 Minnesota, Crookston 56
Ashley Arlen and Alyssa Fischbach each recorded double-doubles to lead #7 Wayne State College in a 87-56 win over Minnesota, Crookston Wednesday evening in the first round of the NSIC Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament held at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. The win was the 27th straight for the Wildcats at Rice Auditorium, going unbeaten at home each of the last two seasons. WSC is now 25-2 on the season and will advance to the semi-finals on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. in St. Paul, Minnesota against Winona State while Minnesota, Crookston ends the year 13-14.
The visiting Golden Eagles got off to a strong start, taking a 9-4 lead on the Wildcats with 16:12 to go in the first half following a three pointer by Gina Jaroszewski. The Wildcats then went on an 11-0 run to take a 15-9 lead and never relinquished the lead again. A Mara Hjelle jumper and back-to-back baskets from Alyssa Fischbach gave the 'Cats a 10-9 lead with 14:16 to go in the half.
Minnesota, Crookston got as close as three points at 17-14 with 10:51 left in the first half on a jumper by Jamie Zelinsky. Wayne State then went on a 11-2 run and took their first double figure lead at 28-16 on a Renee Wood three pointer with 7:25 to go in the first half. The Wildcats went on another 11-2 run and took a 20 point advantage at 41-21 with 2:18 to go in the half as Wayne State finished with a 46-23 halftime lead.
The Wildcats then put the game away to start the second half as WSC scored the first 14 points to take their biggest lead of the night at 60-23 with 15:09 to play and WSC cruised the rest of the way to the 87-56 win over Minnesota, Crookston.
Arlen, a 6-2 junior forward from Cascade, Iowa, notched her ninth double-double of the season to lead the Wildcats with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Senior forward Alyssa Fischbach recorded her third double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win. Senior center Mara Hjelle also reached double digits for the Wildcats with 18 points.
WSC finished the game shooting 50.8 percent from the field, making 32 of 63 shots including 7 of 16 from three point range. The 'Cats were 16 of 23 at the charity stripe for 69.6 percent.
Minnesota, Crookston's leading scorer was Jamie Zelinsky with 12 points while Brittani Wiese scored 11 for the Golden Eagles, who shot 22 of 66 from the field for 33.3 percent. UMC was just 4 of 20 from the three point line and 8 of 12 at the free throw line.
Wayne State outrebounded Minnesota, Crookston 46-37 in the contest thanks to 10 rebounds apiece by Arlen and Fischbach while Minnesota, Crookston's top rebounder was Brittani Wiese with seven.
Wayne State will now face #4 seed Winona State Saturday at noon in the NSIC Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament Semi-Finals in St. Paul, Minnesota after the Warriors beat Augustana College Wednesday evening 87-79.
