Wayne State 87 Bemidji State 82

            Wayne State used five players in double figures and shot over 50 percent for just the second time in 39 games under head coach Brent Pollari as the Wildcats rallied late for an 87-82 Northern Sun Conference women's basketball win Friday evening over Bemidji State at BSU Gymnasium in Bemidji, Minnesota.  The 'Cats improve to 7-2 and 3-1 in the NSIC while the host Beavers drop to 4-4 and 1-3 in the league.
            The 'Cats held a 14-10 lead at the 3:21 mark of the first stanza, but BSU closed the opening quarter with a 13-2 run to take a 23-16 lead after 10 minutes of play.
            Bemidji State maintained the lead for the entire second quarter, building a pair of 10-point leads before the Wildcats scored the final four points of the quarter to cut the Beaver lead to 47-41 at intermission.
            Both teams shot 50 percent or better in the third quarter and the Wildcats forged six ties and knotted the score at 60-60 heading into the fourth quarter.
            A Josey Ryan basket to open the fourth quarter gave WSC its first lead (62-60) since late in the first quarter.  The 'Cats never led by more than four points until the final score. 
            Bemidji State took their final lead at 78-76 with 3:34 to play on a Taylor Bray basket.  The game was tied two more times with the 13^th and final tie of the contest coming at 79-79 with 1:41 to play.
            Junior forward Erin Norling's old fashioned three-point play with 40 seconds remaining gave WSC the lead for good at 82-79.
            Junior guard Halley Busse sank four consecutive free throws and Norling made one of two with 4.5 seconds left to seal the Wayne State win.
            Five Wildcats scored in double figures, led by Norling's double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds.  Sophomore guard Kylie Hammer and Busse each added 13 points with Brittany Bongartz scoring 12.  Sophomore Autumn Mlinar chipped in a career-best 11 points on 5-8 shooting.
            For just the second time in 39 games under head coach Brent Pollari, WSC shot over 50 percent in a game as the Wildcats made 31 of 61 shots for 50.8 percent.  WSC was 5 for 17 from the 3-point line and 20-23 (87%) from the free throw line.
            For Bemidji State, Taylor Bray scored 21 points with Brooklyn Bachmann adding 20 points.  Trinity Myer (12) and Rachael Heittola (11) also reached double digits for the Beavers.
            BSU connected on 31 of 69 shots for 44.9 percent including 8 for 31 behind the arc.  The Beavers were 12 of 18 at the foul line.
            WSC out-rebounded Bemidji State 41-33 with Norling grabbing 12 caroms for the Wildcats.  Hammer and Busse each had three assists for the 'Cats in the win.
            Wayne State will be in action again Saturday playing at Minnesota Crookston in a 3:30 p.m. contest.