Box Score Wayne State 93 Minnesota Duluth 85

            Wayne State used career-high performances from redshirt freshman center Adam Moon and sophomore forward Jordan Cornelius to lead the Wildcats in a 93-85 Northern Sun Conference men's basketball win past North Division co-leader Minnesota Duluth Friday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.  The Wildcats snapped a five-game losing skid, improving to 4-12 and 2-9 in league play, while UMD drops to 13-4 and 9-2 in the NSIC.
            The Wildcats held the lead for most of the first half and led by as many as eight at 27-19 following an Adam Moon jumper with 9:01 to play in the half.
            WSC was then held without a basket for the next 6:48 while UMD's Brendon Pineda caught fire for the Bulldogs, scoring eight straight points to highlight a 15-3 run that gave Minnesota Duluth a 34-30 lead with 2:24 to play in the half.
            A JJ Zumbrennen layup ended the WSC drought without a basket and another Zumbrennen layup right before halftime cut the Bulldog lead to 37-35 at intermission.
            The two teams battled back and forth for a good share of the second half until Wayne State pulled away late.  UMD and WSC exchanged nine ties and nine lead changes until the Wildcats took the lead for good in the final two minutes.
            With the score tied at 54 with 12:37 to play, UMD scored the next seven points to take their biggest lead of the second half at 61-54 at the 11:20 mark.
            WSC battled back and tied the score at 61, only to find Minnesota Duluth respond with another rally as the Bulldogs took a 77-70 lead following a Pierre Newton jumper with 5:39 to play.
            The Wildcats used a Vance Janssen jumper, four free throws by Adam Moon and two more by Jordan Cornelius to take a 78-77 lead.
            After Newton made one of two free throws for UMD to knot the score at 78, WSC took the lead for good on a Janssen jumper, Moon layup and two Zumbrennen free throws for an 84-78 lead. 
            A Cornelius 3-pointer at the 1:07 mark sealed the win for WSC, giving the 'Cats an 87-80 lead.  The Wildcats then sealed the win with free throws down the stretch to defeat Minnesota Duluth 93-85.
            Moon finished with a career-high 24 points to lead Wayne State, going 7 for 9 from the field and 10 of 11 at the free throw line.  Cornelius was right behind with a career-best 22 points, going 7 of 15 from the field and 5 for 10 from 3-point range.
            Other Wildcats in double figures included David Andersen with 12 points, Zumbrennen 11 and Matt Thomas 10.
            Wayne State shot a season-high 54.4 percent from the field making 31 of 57 shots.  The 'Cats were 7 of 21 from the 3-point line and 24 of 32 at the free throw line.
            Brendon Pineda paced Minnesota Duluth with a game-high 35 points, going 12 for 15 from the field and 9 of 11 at the free throw stripe.  Pierre Newton chipped in 15 points with Taylor Lavery and Junior Coleman each scoring 11.
            Minnesota Duluth was 28 of 56 from the field for 50 percent, going 7 of 18 beyond the arc and 22 of 36 at the free throw line.
            UMD held a slight 34-32 rebounding advantage as Pineda grabbed seven boards for the Bulldogs while Brian Goodwin hauled in seven boards for WSC.
            WSC had just five turnovers in the game to 10 on UMD.  Thomas handed out five assists for the Wildcats with Goodwin adding four. 
            Wayne State will be at home again Saturday evening welcoming St. Cloud State to Rice Auditorium for a 6 p.m. contest.