Wayne State needed career-high nights from Rachel Dahlen and Kylah vanDonkersgoed, who combined for 54 points and 20 rebounds, as the Wildcats outlasted Augustana 78-76 in double overtime to open the Northern Sun Conference women's basketball schedule Tuesday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.  The Wildcats improve to 5-0 on the season and 1-0 in the NSIC while the Vikings slip to 2-3 and 0-1 in the league.
            Augustana opened the game with an early 5-0 lead, but WSC battled back and used a Kylah vanDonkersgoed 3-pointer to close the first quarter putting the Wildcats ahead 14-13 after one quarter.
            The 'Cats scored the first seven points of the second quarter on a basket and 3-pointer from vanDonkersgoed and a pair of Dahlen free throws putting WSC in front 21-13. 
            Later in the quarter Augustana got within four at 22-18, but WSC closed the half strong as Dahlen scored Wayne State's final five points of the half on a rare 3-pointer and two free throws giving the 'Cats a 32-22 lead at intermission.
            Wayne State pushed the advantage to 16 points twice in the third quarter and used 8 of 12 shooting in the quarter to maintain a 51-42 lead through three quarters.
            But the Wildcats went cold from the field in the fourth quarter, making just 1 of 11 shots, and the Vikings rallied late and actually took a two-point lead with 36 seconds to play at 58-56. 
            Dahlen was fouled on the next possession with 29 seconds to play and sank a pair of free throws sending the game into overtime at 58-58.
            Augustana jumped out to a five-point lead in the first overtime at 65-60, but a pair of Dahlen free throws and a Cassie Allen 3-pointer tied the score at 65-65 and sent the contest into a second extra session.
            In the second overtime, Wayne State used 13 of 16 free throw shooting with seven points each from Dahlen and Ella Sharar as the Wildcats held off Augustana for a thrilling 78-76 double overtime win.
            Dahlen had career-highs in scoring and rebounding for the Wildcats with 28 points and 13 rebounds for her second double-double of the season.  She made 13 of 14 free throws and was 7 for 17 from the field.  vanDonkersgoed also posted a career-high in scoring with 26 points, making 9 of 15 shots and 4 for 5 from 3-point range.  She also had seven rebounds and four blocked shots.
            Wayne State ended the game making 23 of 64 shots for 35.9 percent, including 8 of 19 from 3-point range.  The 'Cats were 24 of 32 at the charity stripe.
            For Augustana, Isabella Sanneh had 19 points and 18 rebounds followed by Payton Hardy's 15 points and 13 rebounds.  Maliyah Elliott also hit double figures with 14.
            Augustana shot 42.2 percent on 27 of 64 shooting.  The Vikings were 8 of 27 behind the arc and 14 for 23 at the foul line.
            The Vikings held a sizeable 53-36 edge in rebounding over the 'Cats, but had 29 turnovers as WSC held a commanding 30-10 edge in points off turnovers. 
            Meg Rietz had seven assists for WSC, Dahlen recorded a team-high four steals and vanDonkersgoed was credited with four blocked shots.
            The Wildcats return to non-conference play this weekend traveling to Kearney Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest against Nebraska-Kearney.