#13 Wayne State 61 Northern State 50
Senior forward Alyssa Fischbach recorded a double-double with a career-high 19 points and 12 rebounds to power #13 Wayne State in a 61-50 Northern Sun Conference women's basketball win Friday evening over Northern State at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. The Wildcats are now 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the NSIC with their 16th straight home win while Northern State drops to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in league play.
The game was close early until the Wildcats used an 11-0 scoring run midway through the first half to build a double digit lead. With WSC leading 11-10 with 12:02 to play in the first half, the Wildcats went on an 11-0 run on an Ali Schwartzwald three pointer, a jumper and three pointer from Alyssa Fischbach and a trey by Renee Wood to put the 'Cats in front 22-10 with 9:14 to play in the half. WSC maintained its lead and scored the final six points of the last 2:46 of the first half to take a 38-23 lead at halftime.
Wayne State got off to a hot start in the second half and built their biggest lead of the night at 47-25 with 17:39 remaining following a three pointer by Fischbach. But Northern State did not give up and slowly cut into the Wildcat advantage, getting as close as seven points at 56-49 with 6:21 remaining on a jumper by Northern State's Mikayla Barondeau. WSC then used a Mara Hjelle free throw and a jumper in the lane by Alisha Brown to build the lead back up to 10 points and the Wildcats went on to the 61-50 win.
Fischbach led Wayne State with her double-double and career-high 19 points to go with 12 rebounds. Ashley Arlen also reached double figures with 12 points and Ali Schwartzwald finished with 10. Wayne State made 22 of 50 shots from the floor for 44 percent. The 'Cats were 7 of 19 behind the three point line and 10 of 12 at the free throw stripe.
For Northern State, Mikayla Barondeau poured in 16 points followed by Jodi Reinschmidt with 12. The Wolves made 21 of 58 shots for 36.2 percent, hitting 3 of 14 shots from the three point line and 5 of 8 at the free throw stripe.
Wayne State held a 37-31 advantage in rebounding over Northern State thanks to 12 boards by Fischbach and seven rebounds from Arlen. Barondeau and Reinschmidt hauled in seven boards apiece for Northern State. WSC had 12 turnovers in the game to 10 for the Wolves.
Wayne State will be at home again Saturday, hosting the University of Mary in a Northern Sun Conference contest starting at 4:00 p.m.
