Postgame Interview with Head Coach Tim Kirby
HAYS, Kansas – The 19th-ranked Wayne State Wildcats hit seven 3-pointers in the second half to defeat the Harding Women's Basketball team 87-80 in the first round of the NCAA Central Region Tournament hosted by Fort Hays State. The Lady Bisons end their season with a 23-7 record.
Wayne State (28-5) advances to play No. 1 seed Fort Hays State on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Harding led for the majority of the game (27:40) and led by as much as seven until the 4:56 mark. Maggie Schulte hit a 3-pointer to give Wayne State a 74-72 lead. The Lady Bisons pulled within one, 80-79, on a Montana Lewis layup but the Wildcats answered back with back-to-back 3-pointers to lead 86-80. Schulte hit a free throw with seven seconds left to seal the win for Wayne State.
Five Harding players finished in double-figures. Lewis led the Lady Bisons with 18 points. Sophomore Correy Moyer had 14 points, making two 3-pointers. Senior forward Arielle Saunders had 13 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Tabitha Haney and sophomore guard A'ndrea Haney finished with 11 points. Both players made three 3-pointers.
Wayne State was led by Jordan Spencer who had 21 points, making 9-of-17 shots from the field. Schulte and Ashton Yossi each had 15 points. Yossi had three 3-pointers for the Wildcats. Sadie Murren had 14 points and Millie Niggeling added 10 points.
After shooting 55 percent from the field in the first half, Harding finished the game shooting 52.7 percent. Wayne State shot 33.3 percent in the first half and shot 62.1 percent in the second half. The Wildcats made 12-of-23 3-pointers in the game (52.2 percent) as they were led by Murren who had four.
The Lady Bisons had 16 turnovers in the game and Wayne State turned them into 24 points. The Wildcats also had nine second chance points.
Harding led 46-41 at halftime. The Lady Bisons made 16 shots in the first half and held Wayne State to only 11. Harding was also 5-of-7 from behind the arc in the first half.
Video highlights of the game.
NCAA HARDING vs WAYNE (unmixed) from FHSU Informatics / Media Studies on Vimeo.
Harding's Press Conference Starts at 7:07 with Head Coach
Tim Kirby and senior
Montana Lewis
NCAA Press Conference - Wayne State Nebraska Vs Harding University from FHSU Informatics / Media Studies on Vimeo.
