Aberdeen, S.D. – In the 2017-18 regular season home opener, the Northern State University Wolves defeated Texas A&M International 94-53 from Wachs Arena. The Wolves improve to 2-1 overall, handing the Dustdevils their third loss of the season.
 
The Wolves out-scored the Dustdevils in each of the four quarters, with a game high 29 points in the fourth. Northern shot 55.7 percent from the floor, 56.3 percent from the arc, and 58.3 percent from the foul line. NSU tallied a season high 50 points in the paint and 49 points off the bench. The women out-rebounded TAMIU 46-to-30. The Wolves added 20 points off 18 turnovers and 18 points off 14 offensive boards.
 
Alayna Johnson led the team in the win and off the bench with a career high 12 points. The freshman averaged 1.7 points per minute, shooting 62.5 percent from the floor. She also added a team leading career high of seven rebounds.
 
Jill Conrad and Miranda Ristau were second on the team with 11 points each. Conrad led the team with four assists, while Ristau tallied a team leading seven rebounds. Ristau was second on the team shooting 71.4 percent from the floor, while Conrad shot 50.0 percent from the floor.
 
Alexis Tappe and Anika Fredrick rounded out the Wolves in double figures with ten points each. Fredrick led the team shooting 80.0 percent from the floor, matching her career high set a season ago. Sara Tvedt and Jessi Marti added eight points each. Marti matched the team lead with seven rebounds, while Tvedt notched six of her own.
 
Gabby Laimer and Tori Mekash followed with six points apiece, while Brynn Flakus and Brianna Kusler rounded out the team total with five points each. Mekash, Marti, and Flakus matched Conrad's total with four assists each, while Tvedt tallied three of her own. Kusler led the team defensively with three steals.
 
Northern is back in action this Friday and Saturday from the CSU Pueblo Tournament. The Wolves will tip-off with the host Thunder Wolves as 6 p.m. on Friday and the Westminster Griffons at 2 p.m. on Saturday.