Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Wayne State made a season-high 11 3-pointers and held a 40-22 rebound advantage in earning an 82-54 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in NSIC men's basketball on Friday night at the R/A Facility.
 
The victory moves WSC to 8-5 overall, 8-3 NSIC South, and now all along top the NSIC South Division standings. SMSU drops to 2-6 overall, 0-4 NSIC South.
 
WSC closed the night shooting 58 percent (33 of 57) from the field and making the 11 3-pointers on 18 attempts. Jordan Janssen and Alec Millender each scored 15 points for the Wildcats with Janssen pulling down 10 rebounds.
 
SMSU shot 38 percent (20 of 53) and made 10 of 26 from 3-point land. Jake Phipps scored a team-high 11 points with Cliff McCray and Sam Schwartz both adding 10 points.
 
SMSU struggled shooting in the first half and WSC was able to take advantage, building a 19-4 lead in the opening eight minutes. The lead would eventually balloon to 24-7 before Grant Kramer and Nick Dufault connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the WSC lead to 24-13 with 5:25 remaining.
 
The Wildcats once again pushed the lead to 17 points, but a Schwartz 3-pointer and jumper from McCray made the score 30-18 with just under three minutes left in the half. WSU would end the half with a jumper to build a 35-20 halftime advantage.
 
SMSU shot just 27 percent in the half and was outrebounded 24-11.
 
WSC continued the hot-shooting in the first five minutes of the second half in extending the lead to 20 points and never looked back in winning for the eighth time in its last 11 games.
 
McCray and Kaden Evans each collected a team-high five rebounds in the loss.
 
The two teams will conclude the weekend series on Saturday with game time slated for 2 p.m.