Box Score             Senior guard Maya Fitzpatrick tied a career-high with 22 points as Wayne State outlasted Bemidji State 71-64 in double overtime Friday evening in Northern Sun Conference women's basketball played in Bemidji, Minnesota.  The 'Cats have now won three straight games and are 7-5 on the season and 4-4 in the NSIC while the host Beavers drop to 3-8 and 1-6 in league play with the loss.
            The game was close throughout with featuring 17 lead changes and 12 ties with neither team leading by more than six points until Wayne State's final margin of seven points in the final 10 seconds of the second overtime.
            Both teams had to shake off the holiday rust in the opening quarter as the two clubs struggled shooting the ball as WSC held an 11-9 lead after 10 minutes of play.  The 'Cats made just 5 of 14 shots to open the contest while the host Beavers could muster just 3 of 14 shooting to start the game.
            Bemidji State scored seven of the first nine points of the second quarter to take their biggest lead of the game at 16-13 with 7:18 to go before halftime.  WSC then responded eight straight points to regain the advantage and used a Delaney Clark 3-pointer at the 1:54 mark of the second quarter to take a 24-18 lead before ending the opening half in front 26-23.
            The third quarter was back-and-forth between the two teams, exchanging five ties and four lead changes.  A Kylah vanDonkersgoed 3-pointer put the 'Cats ahead 31-26 at the 6:49 mark, but the Beavers chipped away at the deficit and took a 34-33 lead before the 'Cats closed the quarter with four free throws to take a 40-36 lead.
            The final quarter saw the 'Cats hold a five-point lead early, then lose it to the host Beavers before getting another five-point lead with 32 seconds to play before Bemidji State forced overtime with seven points in the final 18 seconds.
            A Meg Rietz trey just over one minute into the final period put the 'Cats in front 43-38.  BSU rallied again and held a three-point advantage at 52-49 with 2:48 remaining in regulation.  WSC responded scoring the next eight points and held a 57-52 lead following a Carsyn Boswell 3-pointer with 32 seconds to play.  But the host Beavers produced seven points in the final 18 seconds and forced overtime when Tieryn Plasch sank three charity tosses with two seconds to play sending the game into overtime knotted at 59-59.
            The first extra session saw both teams score just two points, sending the game into a second overtime tied at 61-61.
            Rietz opened the second overtime scoring back-to-back baskets with Fitzpatrick adding a layup giving the 'Cats a 67-61 lead.  After BSU closed to within three, Fitzpatrick sealed the win sinking four free throws in the final 35 seconds for the 71-64 victory.
            Fitzpatrick matched a career-high with 22 points to lead Wayne State in scoring.  Wayne sophomore Brooklyn Kruse also reached double digits with 14.
            WSC made 24 of 64 shots for 37.5 percent, going 5 of 22 from 3-point range and 18 for 23 at the free throw line.
            For Bemidji State, Erin Barrette scored 19 points with Plasch adding 13.
            The Beavers shot 31.1 percent from the field on 23 of 74 shots, going 5 of 17 behind the 3-point line.  BSU was 13-19 at the free throw line.
            Wayne State held a 53-35 edge in rebounding over the Beavers as Fitzpatrick and vanDonkersgoed each grabbed eight rebounds for the 'Cats.
            The Wildcats were guilty of 23 turnovers compared to just 13 by Bemidji State.
            Wayne State is in action again Saturday afternoon visiting St. Cloud State for an NSIC contest starting at 3:30 p.m.