Box Score Sioux Falls, S.D. ---Twenty-third ranked Augustana earned a 83-76 victory over third-ranked Minnesota State Saturday evening in front of 2,963 fans in the Elmen Center on the campus of Augustana College.
Four Mavericks scored in double-figures in the loss led by senior center Travis Nelson who finished with a team-high 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting. Senior wing Jefferson Mason added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Marcus Hill added 14 rebounds while senior guard Jermain Davis added 11.
“We didn’t do the little things down the stretch to win this ball game,” said head coach Matt Margenthaler.
The first half was a defensive battle as Augustana opened a 30-28 advantage at the break. Neither team shot the ball especially well as the Mavericks hit on 35.7 percent of their shots, while Augustana connected on 37.9 percent of its chances. Minnesota State owned the battle of the boards in the first half, 20-19, and saw senior guard Jefferson Mason pull down eight rebounds in 13 minutes of action.
Augustana led for the better part of the second half until Hill rattled off 10 straight points to give MSU a 68-67 lead with three minutes and 23 seconds remaining. Augustana regained the lead a minute later and never look back down the stretch.
Minnesota State finished the night shooting 46.1 percent from the floor while Augustana hit on 49.1 percent. The Vikings won the battle of the boards, 33-31.
Minnesota State (17-1, 10-1 NSIC) returns to the Taylor Center Friday for an 8 p.m., tilt with Bemidji State.
A .html of the stats can be found HERE
