Box Score Sioux Falls 79 Wayne State 58

            Sioux Falls broke open a close game at halftime by outscoring Wayne State College 40-22 in the second half as the Cougars pulled away for a 79-58 victory in Northern Sun Conference men's basketball played at the Stewart Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  USF moves to 16-9 and 11-8 in the NSIC South while WSC is now 5-20 and 3-16.
            After WSC started the game with a quick 7-2 lead, USF scored the next seven points for a 9-7 lead. 
            The Wildcats held a 13-11 lead following a JJ Zumbrennen layup at the 13:05 mark of the first half, but the host Cougars went on a 10-0 run over the next 3:57 to take a 21-13 advantage. 
            USF built a 24-15 lead as WSC went 5:23 without a basket.  Later in the half with the Cougars holding a 30-22 lead, WSC scored nine of the next 10 points and knotted the score at 31-31 following a Matt Thomas 3-pointer with 3:03 to play in the half.
            The Cougars used a Kebu Johnson 3-pointer and a free throw to go back in front by four before the Cougars finished the half with a 39-36 lead.
            WSC opened the second half with an Adam Moon free throw and a Thomas layup for the game's fifth and final tie at 39-39 with 18:44 remaining.
            Sioux Falls them took the lead for good scoring the next 13 points over a span of 6:16 to take a 52-39 lead. 
            The Wildcats got as close as seven at 52-45 on an Austin Esters layup with 10:58 to play before the Cougars pushed the lead back to 14 (59-45) and USF pulled away for the 79-58 win.
            Moon led Wayne State in scoring with a game-high 20 points, going 7 of 13 from the field and a perfect 6 of 6 at the foul line.  Thomas also hit double figures for WSC with 14 points.
            Wayne State made just 17 of 55 shots for 30.9 percent, going 2 of 18 from downtown.  The 'Cats were 22 for 27 at the charity stripe.
            Mack Johnson and Kebu Johnson each scored 16 points for Sioux Falls followed by Daniel Hurtt and Jordan Stotts with 11 apiece.
            Sioux Falls made 30 of 68 shots from the field (44.1%), going 5 of 18 behind the arc and 14 for 26 at the foul line.
            The Cougars held a 50-26 edge on points in the paint and 30-13 in bench scoring over the Wildcats.
            USF won the rebounding battle over WSC 49-38 with Kebu Johnson and Stotts leading the Cougars on the glass with seven each while Jordan Cornelius grabbed a game-high 10 caroms for Wayne State.
            WSC will be in action again Saturday night visiting Southwest Minnesota State for a 7 p.m. contest in Marshall, Minnesota.