St. Cloud State
13-3,11-2NSIC
Wayne State College
7-9,4-8NSIC
Women's basketball nabs 72-64 win at Wayne State
1/21/2022 7:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Nikki Kilboten scored 24 points on 11-13 shooting in the win
WAYNE, NEB. – The St. Cloud State University women's basketball team has spent the last three months proving it knows how to win when it matters most. That was on display more than ever Friday evening. Though it wasn't the prettiest or cleanest game the Huskies have played this season, they were able to come away with a victory over Wayne State. Fueled by double-digit performances from multiple student-athletes, St. Cloud State improved to 13-3 overall and 11-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play with a 72-64 win over the Wildcats.
WE ARE THE HUSKIES!
Things seemed like they were almost back to normal for the Huskies Friday evening. Fifth year forward Nikki Kilboten (Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire North) was back in the starting line up, and St. Cloud State's offense was seemingly back on track early in the first quarter. However, the Wildcats offense was also on fire in the opening 10 minutes, resulting in a 21-18 Wayne State lead after the first quarter.
The Huskies held the Wildcats at bay for the majority of the second quarter, using a 5-0 run to cruise to a 26-18 lead. However, the Wildcats got hot in the waning minutes, taking a 34-33 lead over St. Cloud State entering the locker room at half. The two teams continued to keep things close in the third, but Wayne State continued to hold a one point advantage over the Huskies 56-55 after three quarters of play.
The fourth quarter proved to be the best for St. Cloud State, as the team outscored the Wildcats 17-8 in the final 10 minutes. In fact, the Huskies defense did not allow Wayne State to score just two points in the final 3:25 minutes of play, as Kilboten was a force to be reckoned with underneath the basket. The fifth year senior scored 10 of her team-leading 24 points in the fourth quarter, guiding St. Cloud State to a 72-64 win over the Wildcats.
TOP HUSKIES
- Nikki Kilboten (Eau Claire, Wis. / Eau Claire North) provided a bulk of the Huskies offense Friday evening, scoring 24 points against Wayne State, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Kilboten additionally tallied two blocks and two steals.
- Brehna Evans (De Pere, Wis. / West De Pere) and Tori Wortz (Hutchinson, Minn. / Hutchinson) both scored in double-digits, as Evans recorded 10 and Wortz 12. Evans added five rebounds, six assists and two steals to her stat line.
- Erin Naratil (Albany, Minn. / Albany) led St. Cloud State in rebounds with eight total.
UP NEXT
St. Cloud State will continue its road trip Saturday, as the team travels to take on Augustana at 3:30 p.m. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Basketball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
