Box Score

WAYNE, NEB.: For the second straight game Southwest Minnesota State's Liz Grider scored the game-winning points, this time with 2.7 seconds left to lift SMSU to a thrilling 72-71 road victory over Wayne State on Saturday night in Wayne, Neb.

Trailing 71-70, with 21 seconds left, SMSU grabbed a rebound off a WSC missed shot and held for the last shot.  Grider drove from the right wing and put up the game-winning field goal with 2.7 seconds left in the contest.  WSC had one last chance to win the game but the inbounds pass went out of bounds as SMSU earned the stunning victory.

The win was SMSU's second straight and improves its record to 7-8 overall, 3-4 NSIC.  WSC drops to 12-4 overall, 5-2 NSIC.  It was just the third loss for the Wildcats since Dec. 1.  A season ago SMSU recorded seven wins all season.

Wayne State started out the game red-hot jumping out to a 25-14 lead with 11:40 remaining in the first half.  SMSU put together a great rally in the final 10 minutes of the half and took a one-point 38-37 halftime lead into the locker room.  A pair of Jess Onken free throws with 3:34 on the clock cut the WSC lead to 31-30 before SMSU took its first lead of the game at 38-37 with 11 seconds left in the half on a basket by Abby Oakland.

SMSU dominated the boards in the first half finishing with a 29-14 rebound advantage including 11 offensive rebounds.  SMSU shot just 34.5 percent in the first half but connected on three three-pointers and were 11 of 12 from the free throw line.  Oakland led SMSU with 12 first half points while Grider added 11 first half points.

WSC took the lead early in the second half and held the lead for much of the final 20 minutes.  The Wildcats held a 63-56 lead with 9:20 remaining in the game before slowing trimming the WSC lead until tying it at 68-68 with 3:50 remaining.  SMSU trailed 71-68 until Sara Leidall score to cut the lead to 71-70 with 1:19 left.  WSC then missed a pair of shots with under a minute remaining to give SMSU the chance at the victory.

Oakland led the SMSU offense with a career-high 19 points on 7 of 11 shooting including a perfect 3 of 3 from three-point range.  Grider finished with 15 points and five rebounds.  SMSU played 13 players in the game with 10 different players scoring.

SMSU shot just 39.1 percent from the field but outrebounded the Wildcats 44-36 including grabbing 15 offensive rebounds.

SMSU will begin a four-game homestand next weekend with game versus MSU Moorhead and Concordia on Jan. 18-19.