Wayne State 76 Northern State 70

            Wayne State College rallied from a 10 point halftime deficit (39-29) to extend their win streak to nine games with a 76-70 Northern Sun Conference women's basketball win at Northern State Friday evening at Wachs Arena in Aberdeen, South Dakota.  The Wildcats are now 20-4 on the season and 13-4 in the NSIC following the win.  It's the seventh 20-win season in school history and the fourth time in the last six seasons that a Wayne State women's basketball team has won 20 or more games.  With the loss, Northern State drops to 13-11 overall and 9-8 in the NSIC.

            The Wildcats found themselves down early as the host Wolves took an early 10-4 lead in the first 2:36 of the game.  WSC responded with a 13-0 run and gained a 17-10 lead following an Alisha Brown three pointer with 12:37 to play in the first half.  Later in the half with Northern State leading 28-27, the Wolves went on a 11-2 run over the final 2:51 of the half to grab a 39-29 lead at halftime, the largest halftime deficit for the Wildcats this season.

            Northern State maintained their lead early in the second half, but the Wildcats went on a run of 10-0 over a 2:09 span to take a 48-44 lead on a Mara Hjelle jumper.  After Northern rallied to knot the score at 57-57 with 9:46 to play, the Wildcats scored six straight points on a basket by Brown and back to back shots by Hjelle to take a 63-57 lead with 8:19 left.  WSC took its biggest lead of the game moments later when Ashley Arlen converted a three point play to give the 'Cats a 68-61 lead with 5:57 to play.

            The Wolves then scored back to back baskets to get within three points at 68-65 with 4:07 remaining.  Both teams remained scoreless until 53 seconds left in the game when Alisha Brown made a key jumper to give WSC a 70-65 lead.  The 'Cats then sank six straight free throws down the stretch, four by Brown and two by Hjelle, to seal the 76-70 come from behind win.

            Hjelle led WSC with a season-high 25 points with 14 coming in the second half.  The junior center from White Bear Lake, Minnesota was 10 of 18 from the field and 5 of 5 from the stripe.  Brown, a 5-3 sophomore guard from El Paso, Texas, added a season-high 17 points, going 5 of 7 from the floor and 5 of 6 at the free throw stripe.  Sophomore forward Ashley Arlen, held to just two points in the first half, scored 14 in the second half to finish the game with 16 points to round out double digit scorers for WSC. 

            The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the floor in the game, making 29 of 58 shots.  WSC was 17 of 29 in the second half for 58.6 percent to help rally for the win.  The 'Cats were 7 of 19 behind the three point line and 11 of 13 from the charity stripe.

            Northern State's top scorer was Mikayla Barondeau with 26 points followed by Emily Becken with 19 and 6-6 junior center Krista Rabenberg with 15.  The Wolves made 27 of 56 shots from the field for 48.2 percent, making 8 of 21 from the three point line and 8 of 10 at the charity stripe.

            Northern State outrebounded Wayne State 34-28 despite Hjelle's nine rebounds to lead the Wildcats on the glass while Becken and Barondeau each grabbed nine boards for the Wolves.  WSC had just 10 turnovers while Northern State turned the ball over 15 times.

            Wayne State will be on the road again Saturday night visiting the University of Mary in Northern Sun Conference play starting at 6:00 p.m.