Box Score
MOORHEAD, Minn. - The Wayne State College Wildcats overcame a first-half deficit to win 77-73, and hand the Dragons their second straight loss at Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse. This loss drops the Dragons to 14-12 overall, 11-11 in the NSIC, while the Wildcats improve to 26-2 overall, 20-2 in the NSIC.
The Dragons played up-tempo transition basketball at the onset, stemming from strong defense and solid rebounding. The Dragons opened with a 13-2 run. Dragon point guard Brittany Mayclin led an early break off a steal, finding Morgan Zabel who dished to a trailing Angie Jetvig for the layup and a 4-0 lead. Jetvig would reach her twelfth double-double on the season, finishing with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Later in this run, a double-teamed Jetvig found Megan Strese wide open under the basket for the layup and a foul. Strese would convert on the three-point play, giving the Dragons the 11-2 lead. Later, with the shot clock expiring, Mayclin found Zabel wide open in the corner for three and a 20-9 lead.
The Dragons would lead by as many as 14 during the first half, coming off a Haley Thomforde three-pointer with just over seven minutes remaining in the half. But the Wildcats would claw back, led by forward Ashley Arlen's back-to-back three pointers with just over six minutes remaining. Arlen would lead all scorers with 38 points for the night.
"The way we played, we had everything go the way we wanted until Arlen hit those threes in the first half," said Mayclin.
The Dragons lost all offensive momentum going into the second half, which was marked by numerous Dragon fouls and solid free throw shooting for the Wildcats at the start. WSC took their very first lead at 51-50 with just over eleven minutes remaining in regulation. Even though the Wildcats continued to pull ahead, the Dragons continued to stay in the game.
"Our team chemistry is still strong," said Mayclin about MSUM's resiliency. "When one person is down, we pick her up with a high five or a pat on the back. We've become really tight."
The game remained close to the final seconds, as Jetvig drove the lane, scored, and was fouled on the play with 32 seconds remaining. She converted the three-point play, moving the Dragons closer at 73-72, however solid free throw shooting by the Wildcats in the final seconds secured the Wildcats' victory.
MSUM finished the game 26-for-53, 49.1%, from the field, 7-for-17, 41.2%, from three, and 14-for-18, 77.8%, from the free throw line. The Dragons were led in scoring by Jetvig (22), Strese (14), and Marisa Yernatich (10).
Wayne State shot 21-for-50, 42%, from the field, 8-for-18, 44.4%, from three, and 27-for-32, 84.4%, from the free throw line. The Wildcats were led in scoring by Arlen (38), Ali Schwartzwald (18), and Clare Duwelius (10).
The seventh-seeded Dragons will travel next Wednesday to take on the second-seeded Augustana College Vikings at 7:00 p.m.
Steve d'Eustachio's Stat of the Game: Seniors Angie Jetvig and Brittany Mayclin have appeared in 77 games together. As teammates, the Dragons are 45-32 (33-29 versus the NSIC, and 12-3 versus non-conference opponents; 22-17 at home, 20-13 on the road, and 3-2 on a neutral court). They have played against 26 different colleges and universities in 17 different arenas and in eight different states.
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