Wayne State and Minnesota Duluth needed overtime to decide the outcome of the highly contested battle. But it was the Bulldogs who prevailed with the 79-78 overtime win Saturday evening in Wayne. UMD moves to 18-5 on the year with a 13-4 conference record while WSC falls to 13-10 with a 6-10 record in NSIC play.

    Wayne State would start the game 4-6 from the field while building up a 9-0 lead heading into the first media timeout of the game at 14:56 to play in the first half. Wayne State and Minnesota Duluth would trade baskets following the media timeout. But the Bulldogs would cut into the WSC lead at 13-8 before Alec Millender would hit a three to put the 'Cats back up eight. A WSC 5-0 run following free throws from Elijah Watson and a three pointer from David Harmon would give WSC the 21-11 lead which was their largest of the game so far. UMD would cut the lead down to six heading into the second media timeout at 21-15 after back-to-back baskets. The lead would be cut to just one at the 6:05 mark before Millender would end the Wildcats four-minute scoring drought with a driving layup making the score 23-20. Wayne State would be unable to build a lead larger than five the rest of the half while the bulldogs ended the half 7-0 run to take the 35-32 lead into the locker room.

    Millender and Harmon would each have ten points to lead WSC in the first half. Trey Deveaux would add five rebounds for WSC in the half to lead the 'Cats. WSC would go 12-26 from the floor (46.2%) and 4-10 (40%) from behind the arc in the half. UMD would shoot just 42.9 percent in the half while shooting 5-13 from the three-point line. UMD would also post 10 second chance points in the half to the Wildcats four.  

    WSC would come out on a 7-0 run to open the half and regain the lead following a Sean Stokes three pointer with 18:05 left in the half. UMD would answer though 7-0 run of their own to build their lead back up to three points. Stokes would tie the game back up at the 16:01 mark of the second half following another big three pointer on the pass from Watson. Harmon would give WSC the four-point lead before the Wildcats would take a two-point lead into the first media timeout of the half with 14:01 remaining in the contest at 49-47. UMD would tie the game up before WSC would get back up by four before the Bulldogs would go on a 6-0 run to regain the lead with 10:46 left in the game. WSC would tie the game back up following free throws from Stokes at 60-60 with 7:38 left in the game. UMD would go on another 5-0 run to take a two-point lead with 4:59 left. The game would be tied three more times down the stretch before WSC would have a two-point lead with just 46 seconds left to play. UMD would head to the free throw line though and tie up the game at 72-72. Millender would put up a shot with five seconds left in the game that wouldn't fall and the game would head to overtime.

    Minnesota Duluth would have their biggest lead in overtime at four points early in the overtime period. WSC would battle back to tie the game up at 76 following a Deveaux shot which was assisted by Harmon. WSC would have their only overtime lead following free throws from Cody McCullough at 78-76 before UMD would tie it back up at 78. UMD would go to the line with 1:07 left to play making 1-2 free throws to take the 79-78 lead before the Wildcats would give up a shot clock violation with 38 seconds remaining. WSC would get one more shot though with just seven seconds but would not be able to take the lead resulting in UMD taking the 79-78 overtime win.

    Wayne State would shoot 47.4 percent in the contest (27-57) while the Bulldogs would shoot 43.5 percent from the floor (27-62). WSC was led by Millender who had 22 points in the game. He was followed by Harmon with 16 and a double double from Devaux with 14 points and 11 rebounds. McCullough would also add nine rebounds in the loss.
  
    Wayne State will be back on the road next weekend when they travel to Minnesota State Friday February 9th at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday against Winona State at 5:30 p.m.