Wayne State made it a clean sweep on the road Friday as both teams came away with Northern Sun Conference road wins at Concordia-St. Paul.
In the women’s game, Chris Kielsmeier won his 200th game as Wildcat coach as the Wildcats avenged an earlier loss to the Golden Bears and won their sixth consecutive conference game with a 66-52 win in St. Paul, Minn.
The Wildcats used a 12-0 run in the third and fourth quarters to snap a 46-46 tie and come away with the win, improving to 11-3 overall and 6-3 in NSIC play.
Wayne State used a 20-point run in the first period to take a 24-7 lead early in the second quarter, but the Golden Bears used a 10-point run of their own to close within seven at the half, 34-27.
Concordia-St. Paul tied the game midway through the third quarter, but Wayne State broke a 46-46 tie with a 12-0 run, highlighted by six straight points from junior center Paige Ballinger, and Wayne State would never trail the rest of the way, giving Kielsmeier his 200th win against 61 losses in his ninth season as Wayne State coach.
Maggie Schulte had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Ballinger scored all 13 of her points in the second half. Haley Moore had four assists and Ballinger blocked three shots.
In men’s action, the Wayne State Wildcats used a balanced scoring attack and had 24 assists on 25 made baskets to roll to a 71-51 win over the Golden Bears.
Wayne State opened the game with a 13-0 run, but the Golden Bears would score 13 of the next 15 points to get within two at the 12:22 mark of the first half. Wayne State pushed the lead back to eight points, and after the Golden Bears closed to within three, Wayne State’s defense held the hosts without a field goal and Jordan Cornelius drained a 3-pointer to give Wayne State a 36-23 lead.
The Wildcats maintained their advantage in the second half and put things out of reach with a 12-2 run midway through the second half, highlighted by 3-pointers by Matt Thomas and Vance Janssen, to go on to the win and improve to 5-10 overall and 3-6 in NSIC play.
Cornelius led a balanced attack with 14 points, Janssen added 13 and Kendall Jacks and Austin Esters each had 12. Brian Goodwin had a career-high eight assists and Janssen and Thomas each dished out four.
Both teams travel to Mankato, Minn., on Saturday to face Minnesota State. The women play at 4 p.m., with the men to follow at 6 p.m.
