Box Score Wayne State 66 Winona State 63 (OT)           

            Wayne State College rallied from a 58-48 deficit with 4:58 to play as the Wildcats posted a 66-63 overtime victory at Winona State Friday evening in Northern Sun Conference men's basketball played at McCown Gymnasium in Winona, Minnesota.  It was just the second win in the last 23 matchups for WSC against Winona State dating back to 2005, snapping an 11-game losing streak to Winona State in Winona.  WSC is now 6-13 and 4-9 in the NSIC while Winona State slips to 8-9 and 5-8 in league play.
            The Wildcats built a 12-7 lead five minutes into the contest. Winona State then held WSC without a basket for the next 8:12 as the Warriors took a 15-13 lead on the Wildcats.
            WSC regained the lead at 16-15 following a Jordan Cornelius 3-pointer with 6:40 to go before halftime.
            With the score tied at 19-19 with 5:11 left in the half, Winona State scored the next seven points for a 26-19 lead before finishing the first half with a 28-24 lead.
            Early in the second half, WSC crept within one several times until the Warriors used a scoring spurt midway through the half to take several leads of 10 points. 

            WSC trailed 43-42 at the 10:34 mark of the second half, but Winona State scored the next nine points to take a 10-point lead at 52-42 with 7:38 remaining.
            Winona State still led 58-48 with 4:56 to play when the Wildcats rallied late to force overtime.
            A Cornelius jumper, TerHark 3-pointer and two Matt Thomas free throws got the Wildcats within three at 58-55 with 3:26 to play.          
            Neither team scored again until the 1:07 mark when Vance Janssen's layup got the 'Cats within one at 58-57.
            Junior Austin Esters made one of two free throws with 28 seconds to play, forcing overtime at 58.
            Both teams traded baskets early in overtime to make the score 60-60 with 3:10 to go.  Janssen hit one of two free throws with 2:44 left to give WSC the lead for good at 61-60.
            After TerHark hit one of two charity tosses for a 62-60 lead, Kendall Jacks made two free throws with 41 seconds left for a 64-60 WSC advantage. Cornelius drained two free throws with 18 seconds to play for a 66-60 lead.  Winona State's Riley Bambenek drained a 3-pointer with nine seconds to go for a 66-63 score. 
            Following a WSC turnover with three seconds left, Winona State's 3-pointer from the top of the key by Isaiah Gray came after the buzzer as the sound just curled out of the rim allowing Wayne State to hang on for the victory.
            Wayne State shot just 35.1 percent from the field making 20 of 57 shots, including 9 of 25 behind the arc.  The 'Cats were 17 for 24 (70.8%) from the free throw line.
            Cornelius led WSC in scoring with 14 points followed by Kendall Jacks with 13.  Janssen and Brian Goodwin each accounted for 10 points in the win.
            Winona State was 25 of 62 from the field for 40.3 percent, going 6 of 19 from 3-point range and 7 of 10 at the foul line.  Tommy Gathje paced WSU with 15 points followed by Connor Flack with 12 points.
            Winona State held a 43-37 edge in rebounding over the Wildcats despite nine boards from Cornelius. 
            Jacks, Janssen and Goodwin each had three assists for WSC while Janssen had three steals.
            WSC had just nine turnovers in the game compared to 14 on Winona State.
            Wayne State will be in action again Saturday evening playing at Upper Iowa in a 6 p.m. NSIC matchup.