#14 Wayne State 64 #13 Augustana 56

                Wayne State College held Augustana to season-lows of 56 points and 29 percent shooting, allowing the 14^th-ranked Wildcats to knock off the 13^th-ranked Vikings 64-56 in Northern Sun Conference women's basketball Saturday evening at the Elmen Center in Sioux Falls.  With the win, Wayne State takes over sole possession of first place in the NSIC with records of 12-1 overall and 5-1 in the NSIC South Division while Augustana falls to 7-3 on the season and 3-3 in the NSIC.
                The game was close early with five ties and five lead changes, but Wayne State took control of the game by limiting Augustana without a basket for a span of 12:50 at the end of the first half that allowed Wayne State to build a double digit lead.
                Augustana's biggest lead of the game was early at 6-2.  WSC rallied to take an 11-8 lead on an Ellen Hansen jumper at the 14:41 mark of the first half.  The Vikings rebounded and took their final lead at 17-15 on a pair of Riley Nordgaard free throws with 9:23 to go before halftime.
                WSC then scored the next nine points and never relinquished the lead again.  The 'Cats used a Millie Niggeling layup, two Jordan Spencer free throws, a Whitney Olson trey and two Hansen free throws to fuel the scoring run that kept Augustana scoreless for 3:57.  WSC was able to build a double digit lead at 33-21 with 40 seconds to play following a Shantel Lehmann layup and finished the half with a 34-26 lead.
                The Wildcats held Augustana without a basket from 12:54 of the first half until an Alex Kneeland 3-pointer for the Vikings at the halftime buzzer.
                Wayne State held a double digit lead for a majority of the second half, withstanding an Augustana run late in the game, to post the impressive eight-point road win.
                The Wildcats took their biggest lead of the game at 42-28 with 16:57 remaining following an Addy Roller fast-break layup.  Wayne State still maintained a 57-45 advantage with 7:32 to play when the Vikings made a charge at the Wildcats.
                Augustana got as close as five points at 58-53 following two Emily Schulte free throws with 2:26 to play.  WSC then responded with a pair of Ellen Hansen free throws and a Hansen layup with 1:21 remaining, pushing the lead back to nine points at 62-53, and Wayne State went to the 64-56 win.
                Junior forward Jordan Spencer led a balanced Wayne State scoring attack with 13 points.  Senior forward Ellen Hansen added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.  It was her third double-double of the season and the fifth time in the last six games that she has grabbed 10 or more rebounds for the Wildcats.  Junior backup forward Millie Niggeling also reached double figures with 11 points off the bench.
                Wayne State shot 37 percent for the game making 17 of 46 shots.  The 'Cats were just 4 for 17 from the 3-point line, but made 26 of 36 free throws.
                The lone player in double figures for Augustana was Riley Nordgaard with 14 points.  The Vikings were held to a season-low 29 percent shooting, making only 18 of 62 from the field.  Augustana was 3 of 18 behind the arc and 17 for 23 at the free throw line.
                Augustana held a slim 40-39 edge in rebounding over the Wildcats as Katie Meister grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Vikings while Hansen's 11 rebounds paced Wayne State on the glass with Niggeling and Jordan Spencer adding six boards apiece.
                Wayne State was charged with 21 turnovers in the game compared to 17 on the Vikings.  Niggeling had four steals and two of Wayne State's three blocked shots in the contest.
                The Wildcats are off for the holiday break and resume play on Friday, January 3^rd when Wayne State visits Minot State.