Box Score ABERDEEN, S.D. - Wayne State junior reserve Ryan Rolfzen hit a trey from the deep corner as time expired to push the Wildcats to a 70-67 come-from-behind win over Northern State Friday evening in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball action.
The loss drops NSU to 17-7 overall and 12-5 in NSIC play. The Wolves slip from the tie atop the North Division standings and sit alone in second place with five games left to play in the regular season. WSC moves to 14-9 overall and 8-9 in the loop.
Northern State held a 58-40 lead with just over 12 minutes left to play in the game, but watched the Wildcats tear off a 30-11 run over the final 12 minutes. Rolfzen scored all 12 of his points on the night in that run, all on three-point shots. The junior hit three straight for the Wildcats to turn what was a 61-55 NSU lead into a two-point game at 63-61.
WSC took its first lead of the game other than the opening moments of the game at the 1:39 on an Amry Shelby leaner in the lane. Northern State got it back on a three-point play from senior forward Colling Pryor with 1:15 to play, but Shelby tied it up at 67-all.
NSU was then whistled for an unpopular offensive foul on the ensuing possession, sending the ball back the other way. WSC called a strategic timeout with 18.6 seconds left. Amry found Rolfzen on the far corner baseline and the junior got the shot off just in time to beat the final buzzer.
Pryor finished with a game-best 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor and 5-of-7 from the line. Tetzlaff added 13, while
Jared Hannigan and
Geoffrey Firmin finished with ten apiece. Hannigan and Firmin combined for three of NSU's five treys on the night. Pryor also finished with 11 rebounds for his third straight double-double and sixth of the season.
Shelby led the way with 16 points for the Wildcats, while Rolfzen and senior Derrell Williams each finished with 12 apiece.
Northern State held a big advantage on the glass, out-rebounding the Wildcats by a 31-20 margin. WSC, however, badgered NSU into 19 turnovers, turning them into 20 points. The WIldcats also went 10-for-17 from three-point range, getting long ball baskets from six different players.
The Wolves will have little time to dwell on Friday's loss as they turn their attention to in-state rival Augustana on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings are coming off a 62--79 loss to MSU Moorhead on Friday and are receiving votes in the latest NABC Top 25 poll. Augustana, like the Wolves, enters the contest at 12-5 in NSIC play.
