MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's basketball team (7-10, 4-9 NSIC) held off the surging Wayne State Wildcats (12-7, 7-6 NSIC) to win 80-78 on a game winning jumper Saturday evening in Wayne, Neb.

The Mavericks came out firing int the first quarter as Taylor Drost and Monica Muth knocked down back to back three pointers.  Minnesota State used the early momentum to build a 19-8 lead before the Wildcats tightened the game to 19-15 at the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter both teams struggled to go on any kind of significant runs, despite the teams having success on offense.  The Mavericks continued to expand their lead in the half though and sent the game to halftime with a 37-29 lead.

Muth led Minnesota State in scoring with eight points while Kirstin Klitzke added seven.  Rachel Shumski led the way with six rebounds while adding five points.  As a team, the Mavericks shot 42.9% from three-point range making six in the first half compared to three for the Wildcats at 21.4%.  Minnesota State also held the edge in rebounds, 26-19.

The Mavericks offense continued to extend their lead in the opening minutes of the second half, taking a 12-point lead, 53-41, with 2:43 to go in the third quarter.  Shumski drilled a put back as the buzzer sounded to give Minnesota State a 60-45 lead going into the fourth quarter.

 In the fourth quarter, the Wildcats succeeded in narrowing the lead to 11 points, and for most of the quarter the lead stayed in that range.  With fouls adding up early, Wayne State managed to cut the Minnesota State lead to 72-65 with 2:45 to go.  The Wildcats proceeded to go on an 8-2 run, and with 46 seconds to go, fouled Muth who hit both free throws to give the Mavericks a three-point lead.

Wayne State made it down the floor, making a contested layup, and once again fouled Muth who made both.  On their next possession the Wildcats drained a three to tie the game with 20 seconds to go, but Drost nailed a contested five-footer for the 80-78 win.
Drost finished the game as the leading scorer for the Mavericks with 22 points and she added 10 rebounds to notch the double-double.  Muth finished with 16 as well while Shumski finished with nine points and 10 rebounds.

Minnesota State finished the game with a 55-38 edge in rebounds, and scored 22 second chance points compared to five for Wayne State. 

The Mavericks will remain on the road when they travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., to play Augustana tomorrow, at 1:30 p.m.