#9 Wayne State 70 MSU Moorhead 53
Wayne State broke open a close game with a 17-5 run to open the second half as the NCAA Division II ninth-ranked Wildcats pulled away for a 70-53 Northern Sun Conference women's basketball win Saturday evening over MSU Moorhead at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. It was the 34th straight win at home for the Wildcats, now 10-1 overall and 4-1 in league play. MSU Moorhead is now 4-4 on the year and 1-3 in the NSIC.
Two Wildcat starters, Ashley Arlen and Ellen Hansen, got into foul trouble early in the first half forcing the Wildcats to go to their bench early. Arlen picked her second foul just 3:14 into the game with Hansen called for her second foul 20 seconds later on an offensive charge. At the time, WSC was trailing 3-2.
Hansen, who stayed in the game momentarily with the two fouls, drained a three pointer along with another from Clare Duwelius to put the 'Cats in front 8-3. MSU Moorhead stayed close with the Wildcats and got as close as two points at 19-17, but WSC responded with a 10-2 run and took their only double digit lead of the first half at 29-19 on a pair of Hansen free throws with 2:06 before halftime. The Dragons used a Brittany Mayclin jumper with one second to play in the half to make the halftime score 31-26.
WSC took control of the game opening the second half by scoring 14 of the first 16 points, taking a 43-28 lead with 16:08 remaining following an Ashley Arlen three point play. The visiting Dragons could only get as close as 12 points in the second half as WSC eventually built at 23 point lead at 58-35 with 9:35 remaining before finishing with the 70-53 win over MSU Moorhead.
Wayne State made 27 of 60 shots in the contest for 45 percent, including 6 of 18 behind the three point line. The 'Cats were 10 of 16 at the free throw stripe. Senior guard Clare Duwelius led a balanced Wildcat attack with 14 points, including two three pointers that gave her 200 for her career. Senior All-American forward Ashley Arlen added 11 points while Ellen Hansen and Ashton Yossi each score nine.
For MSU Moorhead, Angie Jetvig was the lone double figure scorer with a game-high 18 points. The Dragons shot 37.5 percent from the field, making 21 of 56 shots. MSUM was 4 of 19 from the three point line and 7 of 11 at the charity stripe.
The Dragons outrebounded WSC 42-31 in the contest as Taylor Kraft hauled in seven boards for MSU Moorhead while Arlen grabbed seven rebounds to lead Wayne State. MSU Moorhead had 23 turnovers in the game to just 10 on the Wildcats.
Wayne State will be at home again Sunday afternoon hosting Minnesota, Crookston in a 2:00 p.m. Northern Sun Conference contest at Rice Auditorium.
