Box Score Wayne State 72 Minnesota Crookston 59

            Wayne State needed a 19-3 scoring surge late third quarter into the fourth to break opener a close game as the Wildcats held back Minnesota Crookston 72-59 in the first round of the NSIC Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tourament played at Rice Auditorium in Wayne Wednesday evening.  WSC is now 25-6 on the season with the win while the Golden Eagles end the year at 8-19.
            The game was close throughout between the Golden Eagles and Wildcats until Wayne State's scoring run late third quarter put a little separation between the two teams.. 
With the score tied at 8-8 near the halfway point of the first quarter, WSC went on a 10-3 run, highlighted by 3-pointers from Maggie Lowe and Kacie O'Connor, to take an 18-11 lead with 1:12 to play first quarter.
            UMC ended the quarter with five straight points as WSC held an 18-16 lead after one quarter.
            Wayne State held the lead the entire second quarter, but never led by more than six points.
            The Wildcats led 27-21 following a jumper from Lowe and again at 29-23 on a layup from Paige Ballinger, but the Golden Eagles battled back to knot the score at 29-29 on a jumper by Abby Guidinger before WSC got a trey from O'Connor with 1:02 left before halftime for the final points of the half as WSC led 32-29 at intermission.
            Early in the third quarter, Minnesota Crookston took their first lead of the game at 36-34 on an Isieoma Odor jumper at the 8:09 mark. 
            UMC took their last lead of the night at 40-39 on a pair of Micaela Noga free throws with 6:59 remaining in the quarter.  The Wildcats regained the lead for good on a Ballinger basket and three-point play from Erin Norling to go in front 44-40.
            The Golden Eagles tied the score one last time at 44-44, but WSC closed the final 3:29 on an 11-3 run canning 8 for 8 from the foul line coupled with an O'Connor 3-pointer to take a 55-47 lead after three quarters.
            WSC continued their momentum early in the fourth quarter, scoring the first eight points to take a 63-47 lead on a steal and fast-break layup from O'Connor with 6:21 to play.
            The Wildcats maintained their double-digit lead and ended with the 72-59 victory.
            Wayne State had four players score in double figures, led by seniors Maggie Schulte and Kacie O'Connor with 15 points each.  Senior center Paige Ballinger and freshman forward Erin Norling both accounted for 13 points.
            The Wildcats made 25 of 54 shots from the field for 46.3 percent, including 6 of 13 behind the arc.  WSC was 16 for 17 (94.1%) at the charity stripe.
            Isieoma Odor scored 19 points for Minnesota Crookston while Caitlin Michaelis and Abby Guidinger also hit double digits with 11 and 10 points respectively.
            The Golden Eagles connected on 21 of 66 shots from the floor for 31.8 percent, going 7 of 16 from 3-point range and 10 for 17 at the free throw line.
            WSC held a 43-32 advantage in rebounding over the Golden Eagles thanks to nine boards each from Schulte and Ballinger.
            The Wildcats were charged with 16 turnovers in the game compared to seven on UMC.
            O'Connor had four of Wayne State's 11 assists while Ballinger finished with three blocked shots.
            Wayne State advances to the NSIC Sanford Health Women's Basketball Tournament quarter-finals on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.  The Wildcats will face Concordia-St. Paul, an 82-63 winner Wednesday evening at St. Cloud State.