#9 Wayne State 64 Bemidji State 44
Junior forward Ashley Arlen poured in a game-high 24 points and Wayne State forced Bemidji State into 25 turnovers as the NCAA Division II 9th-ranked Wildcats shut down the Beavers 64-44 in Northern Sun Conference women's basketball played in Bemidji, Minnesota Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats recorded their 12th straight win, moving to 13-1 overall with a perfect 10-0 league mark, while Bemidji State slips to 5-8 overall and 2-7 in the NSIC.
Wayne State got off to a slow start, hitting just 4 of their first 17 shots (23.5%) from the field in the first 10 minutes of the game, but still held a 14-10 lead over Bemidji State thanks to the Wildcat defense forcing BSU into 10 turnovers in the early part of the game. An Ashley Arlen three pointer with 5:55 to go in the half gave WSC its first double digit lead of the half at 23-13. Later in the half, a layup by Arlen capped a 9-0 run by WSC, giving the 'Cats their largest advantage of the first half at 29-13 with 3:19 remaining in the half. The Wildcats ended the first half with a 33-21 lead, forcing Bemidji State into 16 first half turnovers resulting in 19 WSC points.
The second half saw WSC maintain their double figure advantage before pulling away late for the win. After Bemidji State made the first basket of the second half to pull within 10 points at 33-23, the Wildcats went on a 13-4 run and took a 46-27 lead with 14:19 to play on a Clare Duwelius three pointer. The host Beavers would not go away and cut the WSC lead to 12 at 50-38 with 8:12 remaining, but WSC scored the next eight points over a span of 2:09 and took a 20 point lead at 58-38 on a Renee Wood fast break layup with 6:03 to play and the Wildcats played reserves down the stretch to finish with a 64-44 win over Bemidji State.
Arlen, a 6-2 junior forward from Cascade, Iowa, was the lone Wildcat in double figures with her game-high 24 points. She was 9 of 15 from the field, 3 of 6 behind the three point line and 3 of 6 at the free throw stripe. WSC finished the game making 23 of 56 for 41.1 percent. The 'Cats were just 5 of 21 behind the three point line and 13 of 17 at the free throw stripe.
For Bemidji State, Colleen McKay scored 12 points followed by Ellie Wessling with 11. The Beavers were 15 of 50 from the field in the game for 30 percent, but made just 6 of 30 shots (20 percent) in the second half. BSU was 1 of 11 behind the three point line and 13 of 15 at the free throw stripe.
Bemidji State held a slim 38-36 advantage in rebounding over WSC despite a career-high matching 14 rebounds by Wildcat senior forward Alyssa Fischbach, her seventh game with 10 or more rebounds this season. Colleen McKay grabbed nine boards to lead Bemidji State.
WSC forced Bemidji State into 25 turnovers, resulting in 29 Wildcat points off turnovers, while WSC had 15 turnovers in the game.
Wayne State returns home next weekend to face travel partner, #21 Augustana, in a nationally ranked matchup at Rice Auditorium Saturday, January 15th at 4:00 p.m.
