The Wayne State men's basketball team downed eight three-pointers in the second half on their way to an 81-72 win against Winona State inside of Rice Auditorium Saturday evening. Wayne State moves to 9-3 on the year and 4-2 in the NSIC South Division. Winona State with the loss moves to 6-5 on the season with a 1-5 NSIC South Division record.
            Wayne State never trailed throughout the game and opened up the game on a 7-2 run behind a Jordan Janssen second chance jumper with 16:06 left in the first half.
            The lead would increase just after the first media timeout as Noah Erickson would get the ball into the paint for his first jumper of the game to make it 11-4 WSC with 12:27 left in the first half.
            The Warriors would cut the lead down to five heading into the second media timeout at 19-14 still in favor of the Wildcats with 7:32 in the first half.
            Wayne State increased the lead to 22-17 after a pair of Cody McCullough free throws with 5:04 left on the clock.
            A three-pointer from Winona State forced a Wildcat timeout with 17 seconds left in the first half with the score 28-27 in favor of WSC. WSC would take that one-point lead into halftime.
            Janssen was the leading scorer for the 'Cats in the first half with 12. He would also add seven rebounds to lead WSC. Wayne State shot 40.7% in first half to Winona State's 28.6%. Each team would make three free throws and Winona state would lead the turnover battle with four to the Wildcats nine. WSC would have more second chance points with seven to the Warriors six.
            Wayne State would open the second half on a nine to three run after a big step back three from Justin Eagins to make it 37-30 with 16:06 left to play in the game.
            Wayne State would increase the lead to 40-32 at the first media timeout of the half at the 14:25 mark.
            The lead would be at its largest of the game out of the media timeout off pass from Erickson to a David Harmon three-pointer making it 46-36 with 13:18 left in the game.
            Fifth year Senior Nate Mohr would hit the fifth three of the halves making it 53-40 WSC with 11:12 left in the half.
            The 8:24 mark of the game would mark the Wildcats largest lead of the game at 14 after another Nate Mohr three-pointer.
            Winona would cut the lead down to five at 75-70 with 45 seconds left to play but the Wildcats proved to be too much going on to win the game 81-72.
            Janssen would record his fifth double-double of the season behind 20 points and 10 rebounds. It would also be his ninth game with 20 points this season. Eagins would add 16 points, Mohr with 15 and McCullough with 10 points. Eagins would add five assists to lead WSC.
            The Wildcats would shoot 47.7% in the game off of 27-57 shooting from the field to the Warriors 40.3% (29-72). Wayne State would lead in second chance points (15-11) and in the rebounding battle 40-39.
Wayne State will be at home again Sunday afternoon facing Upper Iowa at 3:30 p.m.