Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's basketball team fell to Wayne State College on Friday night at Taylor Center, 72-63.
 
It was a sloppy game from both teams, as the Mavericks and Wildcats turned the ball over a combined 41 times in the contest. MSU committed 22 turnovers in the loss, as WSC wasn't too far behind with 19 turnovers of its own.
 
MSU also struggled from the three-point line in the game, as it shot just 21% from beyond the arc, where on the season the Mavericks have been averaging a 39% three-point percentage.
 
In the first quarter, the Mavericks found themselves down, 19-11, to the Wildcats, as WSC used a 42% field-goal percentage to give itself an eight point advantage. MSU also turned the ball over eight times in the period which resulted in six points off turnovers for WSC.
 
In the second quarter the Wildcats added on to their lead to double-digits going into halftime, 34-23, over the Mavericks. The turnover bug continued for MSU as they coughed the ball up seven more times in the second period. Sophomore forward Claire Ziegler [Mankato, Minn.] scored seven points and grabbed three rebounds in the quarter.
 
At halftime, MSU shot just 29% from the field, while WSC connected on 42% of its shots in the first half. The Wildcats were able to outscore the Mavericks in the paint, 18-12, and in second chance points, 8-3.
 
Ziegler led MSU at halftime with 11 points and five rebounds, while freshman Taylor Paulsrud [Rogers, Minn.] added three points, three rebounds and one assist at the break.  
 
In the second half the momentum continued for the Wildcats, as they built its largest to 19, 51-32, at the 2:21 mark in the third quarter. At the end of three, the Mavericks were down, 56-38, to the Wildcats.
 
Heading into the fourth, MSU would cut WSC's lead down to single-digits after outscoring the Wildcats in the final quarter, 25-16. However, the Wildcats lead was just too much for the Mavericks to overtake, as MSU fell to WSC, 72-63.
 
MSU finished the game with a  40% field-goal percentage, while WSC ended the game with a 44% field-goal percentage. Both teams struggled from the three-point line, but the Wildcats managed to connect on two more three-pointers than the Mavericks, as WSC shot 5-of-16 from three, while MSU hit just 3-of-14 from three.
 
On the boards, MSU was outrebounded 43-39 and also outscored in the paint by WSC, 40-32. Both teams took advantage of the opposing team's turnovers, as the Mavericks scored 19 points off turnovers, while the Wildcats finished with 18 points off turnovers.

Ziegler finished with a game-high 24 points, as she shot 9-of-14 from the field and 6-of-9 from the free-throw line. Ziegler also added seven boards, while junior point guard Britney Scherber [Bloomington, Minn.] also ended the game in double-figures with 15 points. Senior center McKenzie Hoelmenn [Lakeville, Minn.] led MSU in rebounding with a team-high eight rebounds.
 
The Mavericks will continue its homestand Saturday afternoon with a matchup against Augustana. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. at Taylor Center.