ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Concordia Golden Bears (13-5, 11-3 NSIC) finished off a stellar weekend with a 57-38 win at home against Wayne State College (11-7, 7-7). Concordia was able to sustain better offensive efficiency in the second half after managing to score only 20 points in the first half.

In that first half, Concordia shot just 33.3% (9-27) before a 50.0% (15-30) second half, which led to 37 points. The Concordia defense held the Wildcats to sub 30% shooting in each half, totalling 27.5% (14-51) for the game. It's the fourth-straight game Concordia's defense has held an opponent to sub-30% shooting and sixth time this season.

Concordia has now won 10 of 11 overall and five straight.

Rachel Hansen (Eagan, Minn.) led the Golden Bears scoring 10 of the team's 20 points in the first half. Hansen's final line was 12 points, five rebounds and six assists. Anika Whiting (Ashland, Wis.) was quiet in the first half, managing just two points but she scored 13 in the second half to finish with 15 points and three rebounds, adding three steals.

The game got off to a cold start on both sides. Both teams struggled to sustain consistent offense in the first half and neither was able to build a lead bigger than four points, which was held early by Wayne State when the score was 10-6 six minutes into play. Concordia failed to put points on the board until Hansen made a layup with 16:13 left in the half to put the Golden Bears on the board.

Points were hard to come by all half and the score was tied at 10 with 10 minutes remaining. Hansen then started to take over the game both offensively and defensively. Hansen made the last eight points of the half for the Golden Bears. No other Golden Bear had more than 2 points.

Wayne State was led by Ellen Hansen who started out the scoring for Wildcats with a couple three-pointers early in the game, finishing the half with seven points. The Golden Bears led by three at the half, 20-17. Concordia shot a mediocre 33.3 % from the floor and was unable to hit a three (0-7) in the first half. Wayne State shot only 26.9% from the field in the first half and was 2-8 from beyond the arc.

Concordia came out hot in the second half starting on a 9-4 run forcing a Wayne State timeout. The Golden Bears carried that momentum through the rest of the second half outscoring the Wildcats 37-21 after the break. Whiting began to heat up scoring five of the team's first nine points including a key 3-point play at the 15:55 mark in the second half.

Concordia progressively built its lead to 12 at the second half media timeout and 19 at the conclusion of the game.

After shooting just 33.3 % in the first half Concordia shot 50% in the second half.

Wayne State shot just 27.5 % for the game marking the fourth straight game that the Golden Bears held their opponent under 30% shooting.

Concordia won nearly every statistical battle. They committed only nine turnovers compared to 16 for Wayne State and the Golden Bears took advantage of those turnovers converting them into 17 points, a 17-7 margin.

Concordia had a significant edge in points in the paint 30-10 as the Wildcats had no answer for Whiting while the Golden Bear defense held WSC scoring leader Jordan Spencer (16.4) to six points on 3-of-14 shooting.

While Whiting and Hansen led the team offensively in the starting lineup, senior Mandy Poke contributed 10 points off the bench on 4-of-5 shooting including a pair of key second half three-pointers.

Ellen Hansen finished as WSC's only player in double-figures with 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting, with seven rebounds.

With Augustana losing at Minnesota State tonight, Concordia now has sole possession of  first place in the NSIC South at 11-3, a game ahead of MSU and Augie at 10-4.