#14 Concordia-St. Paul led from start to finish in defeating Wayne State 69-58 in Northern Sun Conference women's basketball Saturday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. The 'Cats fall to 10-12 and 7-11 in the league while CSP improves to 22-2 and 16-2 in NSIC games.
The visiting Golden Bears jumped out to an 18-10 first quarter lead thanks to 61 percent shooting (8-13) while WSC shot just 25 percent making 4 of 16 shots.
Still trailing by nine with just over 5:30 to play in the first half, WSC closed within four thanks to baskets by
Tate Norblade and
Maya Fitzpatrick along with a 3-pointer from
Delaney Clark to make the score 27-23.
But the Golden Bears answered Wayne State's surge and pushed their lead back to 10 at intermission 37-27.
WSC trailed by double digits most of the third quarter. CSP took their biggest lead of the night at 50-36 at the 3:21 mark before closing the quarter with a 53-45 lead.
Baskets by Fitzpatrick and Norblade to open the fourth quarter got WSC within four at 53-49, but Concordia-St. Paul scored the next seven points to extend the lead back to double digits at 60-49 and finished the quarter playing with a double figure lead before closing with the 69-58 win.
Senior
Maya Fitzpatrick was the lone Wildcat player in double figures with 21 points.
Wayne State made 24 of 58 shots for 41.4 percent. The 'Cats were 7 of 24 from 3-point range and 3 of 7 at the line.
Lydia Haack scored 20 points for Concordia-St. Paul. Julia Bengston added 15 with Lindsey Becher scoring 13.
CSP shot 48 percent for the game making 25 of 52 shots. The Golden Bears connected ono 6 of 14 3-pointers and 13 of 17 free throws.
Concordia-St. Paul held a 37-30 edge in rebounding as
Kylah vanDonkersgoed grabbed seven boards for WSC.
Norblade handed out six assists while Fitzpatrick had four assists and two blocked shots.
WSC is at home again Tuesday evening hosting #19 Southwest Minnesota State at 7:30 p.m.
