MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University pushed No. 23 Wayne State College for nearly 40 minutes Friday night.

But the Wildcats had an answer for every MSU run – and it usually was a 3-pointer.

Wayne State College knocked down 13 of 30 3-pointers to outscore Minot State 39-15 on triples in an 81-71 win in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's basketball Friday at the MSU Dome.

"I thought we really moved the ball well," said MSU head coach Sheila Green Gerding. "We had players looking for shots. I thought Katie Hardy (Sr., F, Fairview, N.D.) really propelled us there in the first half hitting shot after shot. Second half it was kind of by committee."

"I think defensively we were playing really hard and that led to good things on the offensive end."

Hardy had one of her best shooting nights of the season, hitting for 17 points on 6 of 10 shooting from the floor, but sat a large spell in the second half as she re-aggravated an injury.

"She got hit pretty hard – nothing's going to stop her from playing," Green Gerding said. "She's just a tough kid. She loves the game and she'll do whatever she has to play."

The Beavers (9-12 overall, 4-11 NSIC) trailed by three at halftime and remained close until the Wildcats (18-3, 12-3) stretched it out to double figures.

It grew to 17 points with 3:08 to play before MSU went on a late run. It turned out to be too little, as another big factor in the game was Wayne State's free throw shooting. The Wildcats went 14 of 17 overall and hit 10 of 13 in the second half.

Ashton Yossi led all players with 22 points, hitting four 3-pointers and added six assists and four rebounds in the win for WSC. Jordan Spencer was 7 of 9 from the field, scoring 18, and finished with seven rebounds and four assists and Sadie Murren added 13 points for the Wildcats.

Along with Hardy, MSU had three others with double figures scoring. Savana Kingsbury (Jr., F, Omaha, Neb.) continued her late season surge with 12 points and seven rebounds. Sarah Lester (Jr., G, Frenchtown, Mont.) scored 13 and Christina Boag (Sr., F, Tamworth, Australia) had 10 off the bench.

MSU will look to even the weekend with the final of four straight at the Dome, taking on Augustana College starting at 4 p.m.