Box Score Wayne State 75 St. Cloud State 63

            Wayne State College used 50 percent shooting to offset a 51-32 disadvantage in rebounding as the Wildcats registered a 75-63 victory over St. Cloud State Friday evening in Northern Sun Conference women's basketball played at Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud, Minnesota.  It was the 11^th straight win for WSC over St. Cloud State as the Wildcats improved to 15-5 on the year and 10-5 in the NSIC while the host Huskies fall to 8-11 and 6-9 in the league.         
            The Wildcats never trailed in the contest.  WSC opened with a 7-0 lead and was in front 14-5 midway through the first quarter.  After SCSU got as close as four at 14-10, the 'Cats closed the first quarter with a 20-12 lead.
            WSC took its first double-digit lead of the night early in the second quarter on a 3-point play by junior center Paige Ballinger for a 23-12 Wildcat advantage. The Huskies trimmed the Wildcat lead down to six at 32-26 before Wayne State closed the first half with a 37-29 cushion.
            St. Cloud State would stay within reach for much of the third quarter until the Wildcats put together a scoring run late in the quarter to push the lead into double digits for good.
            The Huskies closed within four at 50-46, but WSC had an 11-4 run to end the third quarter to take a 61-50 lead.
            An Amanda Brainerd 3-pointer and Anna Martensen layup to open the fourth stanza gave the Wildcats a commanding 66-50 lead and WSC maintained a double figure lead the remainder of the game to finish with the 75-63 win.
             For just the fourth time this season, Wayne State shot over 50 percent in a game as the Wildcats connected on 29 of 57 shots for 50.9 percent.  WSC was 7 for 21 behind the arc and 10 of 18 from the charity stripe.
            Ballinger paced the Wildcats in scoring with 21 points on 8 of 18 shooting from the field.  She also had six rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots.  Senior forward Anna Martensen followed with 17 points making 8 of 9 shots from the floor.  Senior guard Haley Moore also hit double digits with 14 points, canning 5 of 8 shots from the field and 4 for 7 from the 3-point line to go with six assists and four steals.
            St. Cloud State shot 33.3 percent from the field making 24 of 72 shots.  The Huskies were 8 for 24 from the 3-point line and 7 of 11 at the free throw line.
            Betsy MacDonald led SCSU with 17 points followed by Andrea Thomas and Chelsea Nooker with 14 and 11 respectively.
            The Huskies held a commanding 51-32 advantage in rebounding thanks to 24 offensive boards.  Maggie Schulte was Wayne State's top rebounder with eight.
            WSC held a 30-20 edge on points in the paint and 17-6 in points off turnovers as the Wildcats forced 16 on the Huskies, three more than WSC.
            The Wildcats will be in action again Saturday playing at Minnesota Duluth in a 4 p.m. NSIC contest.