By: by Patrick Rydeen

WAYNE, Neb. – The #25 Concordia University women's basketball team (9-3, 4-1 NSIC) capped off a wild weekend with a 57-54 win against #17 Wayne State (11-1, 4-1 NSIC) on the road.  The win gave the Golden Bears a big weekend road sweep over a pair of ranked opponents from the NSIC South.
 
The Golden Bears now hold the all-time series advantage over the Wildcats 16-15.  Despite being outshot by WSC 40.0% to 32.3% and outrebounded 42-37, CU was able to pull out a win.  A big factor in the win was a +9 turnover margin at18-9 which resulted in 22 points off turnovers for Concordia compared to just six for Wayne State.
 
Anika Whiting had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds and Carissa Wolyniec added 14 points while hitting four three to lead the Golden Bears.  Rachel Hansen was the third member of CU in double figures with 12 points to go along with eight boards and three steals.  Asha Knight was a solid presence off the bench for Concordia, scoring a career-high nine points on 3-3 from the field and 3-4 from the free throw line as well as three rebounds and two steals.  She was the only non-starter to score for the Golden Bears.
 
Jordan Spencer scored a game-high 19 points for the Wildcats but it took her 18 shots as she finished 8-18 from the floor.  The Wildcats cooled off from hitting 46.4% from the floor and 55.6% from three in the first half to only 33.3% from the floor and 0-7 from three in the second.
 
The Wildcats built an early 6-2 lead in the opening minutes but went cold, going scoreless over the next five minutes.  Concordia was able to use a 7-0 run over that span to grab the lead 9-6 with 11:49 left in the first half and pushed the lead out to four just moments later at 12-8 following a Wolyniec three.  Not to be outdone, Wayne State responded with three consecutive threes and another bucket to cap off an 11-0 and regain the lead at 19-12.  Hansen hit a layup, picked up a steal and hit another layup to close the gap to three before the Wildcats hit two more threes and a jumper to take control with a double digit lead at 27-16 with just 3:48 left in the half.  The lead remained in double figures at 31-21 with just 1:38 to go in the half but CU cut it down to five on an Asha Knight layup and another three from Wolyniec going into the break.
 
Rachel Hansen hit 4-7 shots for nine points while also grabbing five boards in the half to lead the Golden Bears.  Carissa Wolyniec matched Hansen's nine points as she went 3-7 from beyond the arc in the half.
 
Michaela Barry provided a spark off the bench for WSC offensively as she buried three of her four attempts from three in the half to finish with nine points.  Millie Niggeling also gave a boost off the bench with eight points and five rebounds in the half on 3-4 shooting and 2-3 from distance.
 
Concordia wasted no time to even the score to start the second half as they pulled even at 33 just under three minutes in.  An Ameshia Kearney with 15:59 left three gave the Golden Bears their first lead since the ten minute mark of the first half at 36-35.  The score remained tight over the next several minutes but Wayne State looked to begin pulling away following four straight points from Spencer to build a 45-41 lead with just over seven minutes left.  Whiting and Wolyniec each hit two free throws to tie it back up, but four straight from WSC put the lead back to four at 49-45 at the six minute mark.  The Golden Bears refused to go away, showing resiliency as they scored seven straight to grab a 52-49 lead of their own with 3:42 left.  The lead proved to be one that the Golden Bears wouldn't relinquish.   Spencer cut the lead back to one at 53-52 but a Whiting layup and two Hansen free throws gave CU their biggest lead of the day at five with just 33 seconds left.  Wayne State hit a layup with two seconds left to make it a one possession game but it was too late as the Golden Bears claimed a huge 57-54 road win.
 
The Golden Bears remain on the road next weekend as they head to Mankato to take on #12 Minnesota State on Saturday at 2 p.m. in their third consecutive game against a ranked opponent away from their home gym.