Southwest Minnesota State 60 Wayne State 55 OT

            Wayne State shot season lows of 31.3 percent (20-64) from the field and 47.4 percent (9-19) from the free throw line as the Wildcats suffered a 60-55 overtime loss at Southwest Minnesota State Thursday evening in NSIC South Division men's basketball played at the R/A Facility in Marshall, Minnesota.  WSC drops to 13-11 on the season and 10-8 in the NSIC South while SMSU improves to 14-10 and 10-9 in the league.
            It was a slow start out of the gate for the 'Cats, trailing 13-2 less than 3:30 into the contest.
            WSC then scored 10 straight points and got within one at 13-12 at the 13:54 mark following a pair of Justin Eagins free throws. 
            The 'Cats took their only lead of the first half at 24-23 on an old fashioned three-point play from Jordan Janssen at the 5:07 mark of the half. 
            Alec Millender made two of three free throws to end the first half sending the teams into the locker room tied at 27-27.
            Neither team could get untracked offensively in the second half as the game remained close featuring 10 ties and 10 lead changes.
            The biggest lead in the second half was three points by SMSU on two occasions.  Wayne State's biggest lead was two points five different times.
            Wayne State's last lead came at 49-47 on a Nate Mohr jumper with 5:06 to play in regulation. 
            The 'Cats went scoreless the final 5:06 of regulation while SMSU's lone points down the stretch came on a Kenny Byers basket with 3:18 to play knotting the score at 49-49.
            Neither team scored the rest of the way with the game tied at 49-49 entering overtime.
            The shooting woes continued for both teams in overtime as WSC went just 2 of 8 from the field and SMSU was just 1 of 6, but WSC had to foul in the extra session late and the Mustangs went 9 of 10 at the line to register the 60-55 overtime win.
            Nate Mohr opened the overtime session making two free throws for Wayne State's lone lead in overtime at 51-49 with 3:20 to go. SMSU used a Jake Phipps basket and three free throws to take a 54-51 lead at the 1:10 mark in overtime.
            Wayne State went 9:08 without a basket until a Janssen jumper with 58 seconds to play cut the Mustang lead to 54-53.
            After forcing a turnover, WSC had a chance to take the lead but missed a shot and had to foul as the Mustangs made two free throws for a 56-53 lead. 
            A Ben Dentlinger dunk with 34 seconds to play cut the SMSU lead to 56-55, but the Mustangs got two free throws from Byers and following a Wildcat miss with two seconds left two more free throws to seal the 60-55 overtime win.
            Mohr led Wayne State in scoring with 18 points.  Janssen added 13 with Millender scoring 10.
            Wayne State ended the night shooting a season-low 31.3 percent from the field making just 20 of 64 shots.  The 'Cats were 6 for 23 behind the arc and sank only 9 of 19 free throws for a season-worst 47.4 percent.
            Byers had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds for SMSU.  Jake Phipps, Cliff McCray and Dunwa Omot each added 12 points for the Mustangs.
            SMSU had two more rebounds than WSC 44-42 despite the 'Cats grabbing 13 offensive boards.  Dentlinger grabbed 11 rebounds for WSC.
            Millender was credited with six assists while Dentlinger had three blocked shots.
            Wayne State will be at home Saturday evening hosting Sioux Falls in a 5:30 p.m. contest at Rice Auditorium.