Box Score Wayne State 58 Sioux Falls 50

            Wayne State College forced 28 Sioux Falls turnovers and held a 28-15 advantage in points off turnovers, but had to hold off a late Cougar rally to forge a 58-50 Northern Sun Conference women's basketball win Friday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.  WSC improves to 9-3 and 4-3 in league play while dropping USF to 9-2 and 5-2 in the NSIC.
            The Wildcats set the tone early in the game, taking an 8-0 lead in the first 3:30 minutes of the contest.  The 'Cats took a 12-2 lead following a Paige Ballinger jumper at the 3:37 mark before finishing the first stanza with a 14-5 lead.
            WSC opened the second quarter with an Amanda Brainerd 3-pointer to take a 17-5 lead.  After USF got within seven at 21-14, the 'Cats used a Maggie Schulte free throw, Katie Hoskins 3-pointer and Kacie O'Connor free throw to finish the first half with a 26-16 lead at intermission.
            Wayne State opened the second half strong and built a 23-point lead (39-16) midway through the third quarter when the Cougars started to rally.
            USF closed the final five minutes of the third quarter with a 13-2 run and trailed 41-29 entering the fourth quarter.
            WSC still led by 12 at 48-36 with 5:16 to play after a pair of Haley Moore free throws. 
            But the Cougars charged back again and got within three at 52-49 following a Madi Robson free throw.
            The Wildcats got a pair of free throws on the next possession from Maggie Schulte for a 54-49 lead. 
            After Robson went 1 of 2 at the stripe again to get USF with four at 54-50, WSC used two free throws each from Ballinger and Schulte to close the contest as WSC finished with the 58-50 win.
            Wayne State shot a season-low 27.5 percent in the game, making just 14 of 51 shots.  WSC was 5 of 17 from the 3-point line and 25 for 34 (73.5%) at the charity stripe.
            Ballinger led WSC in scoring with 17 points followed by O'Connor with 12.
            Sioux Falls connected on 17 of 53 shots from the field for 32.1 percent.  The Cougars were 7 for 21 behind the arc and 9 of 15 at the foul line.
            Sam Knecht led USF with 14 points followed by Robson with 12.
            Wayne State was out-rebounded by USF 46-34 as Jacey Huinker pulled in 12 boards for the Cougars followed by Knecht with 10.  Wayne State's top rebounders were Schulte and Amanda Brainerd with five apiece.
            The Wildcats held a 28-15 advantage on points in the paint, but USF had a 15-5 edge in second chance points thanks to 12 offensive rebounds.
            Moore had five of Wayne State's 10 assists and also led WSC in steals with four while Ballinger was credited with four of the Wildcats' seven blocked shots.
            Wayne State will be at home again Saturday afternoon hosting Southwest Minnesota State in a 4 p.m. NSIC contest at Rice Auditorium.