Senior forward Kassidy Pingel scored a game-high 18 points while senior guard Lauren Zacharias recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds to carry Wayne State College in a 72-62 Northern Sun Conference women's basketball victory over Southwest Minnesota State Saturday afternoon at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.  The 'Cats are now 6-1 and 2-1 in the NSIC while SMSU drops to 5-3 and 2-1 in league action.
           
     The Wildcats got off to a slow start, trailing 13-7 just five minutes into the contest.  Wayne State then caught fire and outscored the Mustangs 12-2 to end the first quarter as a 3-pointer by Zacharias to end the opening stanza gave the Wildcats a 19-15 lead.
    
    WSC used tenacious defensive pressure in the second quarter, forcing 10 SMSU turnovers, while making 10 of 22 shots as the Wildcats outscored SMSU 24-11 to take a commanding 43-26 lead at intermission.

    Wayne State took their first double digit lead at 29-19 on a Ashley Gustavson 3-pointer with 5:37 to go before halftime and closed the half with a Brigid Boyle basket and trey from Annie Guentzel to lead 43-26 at the break.

    The third quarter saw WSC maintain a double figure lead throughout, taking their biggest lead of the night at 58-37 on a Rachel Dahlen basket with 4:42 left in the third quarter before finishing with a 63-44 lead.

     The Wildcats were still in front by 18 (67-49) with 6:12 remaining when SMSU starting forcing several Wildcat turnovers and closed within nine at 69-60 with 1:30 to play before WSC closed with a 72-62 win.

    Pingel produced a game-high 18 points for Wayne State, making 5 of 8 from the field and 8 of 10 free throws.  Zacharias ended with 13 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for her first career double-double.

    Wayne State ended the game making 27 of 66 shots for 40.9 percent, including 6 for 21 behind the arc.  The 'Cats were 12 for 19 at the foul line.

    The top scorer for Southwest Minnesota State was Hannah Parsley with 15 points followed by Peyton Blandin with 12 and Bri Stoltzman 11.

    SMSU shot 37.7 percent for the game on 20 of 53 shots.  The Mustangs were 5 for 22 from 3-point range and 17 of 22 at the charity stripe.

    WSC held a sizeable 45-31 edge in rebounding with 19 offensive rebounds.  Zacharias had 10 caroms for the 'Cats followed by eight from Abby Kopecky.

    Wayne State had two more turnovers than SMSU, 23-21, but the Wildcats had a 30-19 advantage in points off turnovers. 

    The Wildcats will be on the road next weekend for NSIC South Division games at Concordia-St. Paul Friday at 5:30 p.m. and at #6 Minnesota State Saturday at 5 p.m.