#14 Wayne State 84 Minot State 57

                Wayne State College sank a season-high 12 3-pointers as the #14 Wildcats pulled away in the second half for a 84-57 Northern Sun Conference women's basketball win Friday evening over Minot State at the Minot Dome in Minot, North Dakota.  The start of the game was delayed nearly 20 minutes as inclement weather forced a late arrival by one of the officials.  Wayne State remains in first place in the NSIC with the win, improving to 13-1 overall and 6-1 in the NSIC while the host Beavers fall to 8-3 and 4-3 in league play.
                After Minot State opened the game with a 9-5 lead, Wayne State scored the next nine points highlighted by 3-pointers from Ellen Hansen and Millie Niggeling to put the Wildcats in front 14-9 at the 13:14 mark.  The Beavers answered with a run of their own, scoring the next seven points, to take a 16-14 lead following a Carly Boag three point play with 11:10 to go before halftime.
                Wayne State then used treys from Ashton Yossi and Kara Powell and a jumper from Yossi to take the lead for good at 22-16.  Minot State did score the next six points to tie the score at 22 all with 7:12 to play in the half, but the Wildcats responded with the next eight points for a 30-22 lead and WSC finished the half with a 12-5 run to take a 42-29 lead at halftime.
                The Wildcats never gave Minot State a chance to get back into the game in the second half as Hansen, Addy Roller and Niggeling each canned 3-pointers to start the half and the Beavers never got closer than 14 points as Wayne State used solid shooting from the 3-point line to finish off the Beavers for the 84-57 win.
                Wayne State had four players in double figures led by senior forward Ellen Hansen's 18 points.  She was one rebound shy of a double-double as she also led the 'Cats on the boards with nine caroms. 
                Junior backup forward Millie Niggeling added 17 points off the bench, going 6 for 7 from the field including a perfect 5 of 5 from the 3-point line.  Ashton Yossi and Jaylan Spencer also reached double digits with 14 and 10 points respectively.  Junior forward Jordan Spencer, the third leading scorer in the NSIC entering the game, was held under double digits for the first time this season scoring nine points in the contest.
                Wayne State shot 54.9 percent from the field, making 28 of 51 shots.  It was the sixth time this season the Wildcats shot 50 percent or better from the field.  The 'Cats sank a season-high 12 3's in the game, going 12 of 22 beyond the arc (54.5%) and made 16 of 20 free throws for 80 percent.
                Minot State's top scorer was Katie Hardy with 16 points.  Junior center Carly Boag, the NSIC's leading scorer entering the game at 22.0 points a game, was held to just 11 points by the Wildcat defense on 5 of 17 shooting. 
                The Beavers were 22 for 70 from the field for 31.4 percent, going 5 of 19 from 3-point range and 8 of 12 at the charity stripe.
                Wayne State won the rebounding battle over Minot State 41-33 thanks to nine boards from Ellen Hansen and six apiece by Jaylan Spencer and Jordan Spencer.  Minot's top rebounder was Carly Boag with 10.
                WSC had 17 turnovers in the game to 14 on Minot State.  Hansen handed out a game-high five assists for the Wildcats followed by Addy Roller with four to go along with three steals.
                Wayne State will close out their NSIC road trip Saturday with a 4 p.m. contest at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.