Wildcats finish season with loss at Moorhead

Wayne+State%E2%80%99s+Austin+Ester+and+Moorhead%E2%80%99s+Prescot+Williams+lunge+for+the+ball+at+the+Feb.+4+basketball+game+at+Minnesota+State+University.+The+game+would+end+the+Wildcat%E2%80%99s+season+with+a+record+of+7-31.

Asia Berg

Wayne State’s Austin Ester and Moorhead’s Prescot Williams lunge for the ball at the Feb. 4 basketball game at Minnesota State University. The game would end the Wildcat’s season with a record of 7-31.

Asia Berg, Staff Writer

The season came to a close last Wednesday for the Wayne State men’s basketball team when they lost 89-60 against fifth-ranked Minnesota State University, Moorhead.

The Wildcats had a good start in the beginning, but that wouldn’t last long as the Dragons would knock down shots to build an eight-point lead.

The ‘Cats wouldn’t let that stop them as they came rallying back to tie the score at 14-14.

“Our guys hung around for a little bit but the task was a little too tall for them and the lights may have been a little too bright for some of our young guys,” Head coach Brian Dolan said on the “Coaches Show” with Wayne Daily News.

The Wildcats trailed 47-38 at halftime.

“It was a good learning experience for them. We will be back and have a chance to play in the conference tournament next year as well as, hopefully, a home game. It’s good to have that experience moving forward,” Dolan said.

Wayne State came out strong in the second half, cutting the gap to only nine points. But Moorhead nailed the victory with a 17-3 run.

The Wildcats shot 24 of 59 from the field for 41 percent, 7 of 23 from the three-point line and 5 of 7 at the free throw line.

Wayne State ………….. 38 22 – 60
MSU Moorhead……. 47 42 – 89
WSC: Esters 14; Kurth 12; Heesch 11; Jacks 7; Nagy 6; Holdsworth 5; VandeBerg 3; Cornelius 2
MSU: Sevlie 17; Bingham 16; Riewer 14; Lien 14; Williams 11; Nelson 10; Vaughan 5; Holt 2