Box Score

MOORHEAD, Minn. – It was anything but pretty, but in the end, it was a win. 

Sophomore Emily Becken scored a game-best 20 points while the Northern State University Wolves had all five starters finish with six rebounds en-route to a 58-50 win over Minnesota State University Moorhead Wednesday evening in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's basketball action.

The win moves the Wolves into sole possession of seventh place in the conference standings with one game left to play in the regular season.  NSU now stands at 14-13 overall and 10-9 in league action, one full game ahead of both Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota State, Mankato, both of whom dropped their match-ups on Wednesday.

MSUM, meanwhile, now heads into Saturday's season-finale with a 17-9 overall mark and an 11-8 mark in NSIC play.  The Dragons had been chasing a possible home-court advantage, but is now out of contention for a top four seed in the conference tournament.  MSUM has, however, clinched a berth in that tournament, which starts Wednesday, March 3.

After a back-and-fourth first half that ended in a 25-all tie, the Dragons used a 6-0 run to take a 4-point lead at the 13:53 mark.  NSU, however, used Becken trey coupled by back-to-back lay-ups by Lennea Mueller and Jodi Reinschmidt to take the lead for good.

The Dragons closed briefly to within two points at the 3:17 mark after a Marisa Yernatich three-pointer, but a pair of free throws from Becken and yet another trey from the sophomore put the Wolves back in the driver's seat for the duration.

Becken's 20 points came on the strength of 5-for-9 shooting from long range and led three Wolves in double figures.  Reinschmidt added 13, while Mueller put up 10 points.  Junior center Krista Rabenberg had seven points, six rebounds and five blocked shots as the Wolves held the Dragons to just 31.7 percent shooting  on the night, including just 11 percent (2 for 18) from 3-point territory.

The Dragons were led by senior Alison Nash-Gerlach, the lone bright spot in the MSUM line-up this particular night.  Nash-Gerlach tallied 18 points and 17 rebounds to keep the Dragons in fighting contention.

NSU will have llittle time to celebrate their victory as they turn their attention to Saturday's match-up with the SMSU Mustangs.  The Wolves can clinch a spot in the NSIC tournament with a win in that game.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in Wachs Arena.  Ticket gates will open at 4 p.m.  Mueller, the lone senior on the NSU squad, will be honored prior to the start of the game.