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FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Wayne State College had 12 players score points and 10 grab at least one rebound Friday, as the Wildcats cruised past Dominican University of California 84-44 on day two of the Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational at the Patty Center.
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The win puts the Wildcats (7-0) at 2-0 in the tournament and gives them the opportunity to win the title in a championship game against Alaska on Saturday. The Wildcats have outscored their first two opponents in the tournament by 31 and 40 points, respectively.
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The Penguins (0-6) struggled to keep pace with the Wildcats, shooting 25.4 percent (16 for 63) in the game. Lauren Hyatt was Dominican (Calif.)'s only double-digit scorer with 11 points. Wayne State College had three double-digit scorers, led by Ellen Hansen's 13. Whitney Olson had 12 for the Wildcats and Jordan Spencer was in double-digits for the second time in the tournament with 10.
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The Wildcats started the game on a 13-2 run, during which the Penguins went 1 for 6 from the field and had five turnovers. Leading by 10 with 8 minutes, 3 seconds to play before halftime, Wayne State College put itself ahead big with a 14-2 run that spanned 5:23 and gave it a 22-point lead at 34-12.
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The story continued in the second half, where the Wildcats improved their shooting percentage from the first – 41.4 to 53.6 percent – and pushed their lead to 39 with a 20-6 run in the first 4:42. The Wildcats' lead did not crest 40 until 3:35 to play, when Katie Hoskins hit a jumper to make it 77-36. They would push it to as much as 44 on two occasions before the Penguins whittled it down to 40 with a short 6-2 run in the final 1:56.
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Dominican (Calif.) faces Lees-McRae at 2 p.m. Saturday in both team's Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational finale. Wayne State takes on Alaska at 4 p.m. Saturday with the tournament title up for grabs.
