SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- It came down to overtime Saturday evening between #16 Minnesota State and #12 Augustana, but it was the Vikings that would come away with the 98-89 win in Sioux Falls.
With the loss, MSU falls to 12-3 on the season, including a 7-2 record in NSIC play. With the win, Augustana improves to 15-1 on the season, including a 9-1 record in conference play.
The first half saw six lead changes with neither team leading by more than six points. Augustana led by six points several times through the first nine minutes of the game, but both teams found themselves knotted up at 23 with 7:45 left in the opening session.
The Vikings managed to close out the final 7:45 of the first half on a 17-13 run to take a 40-36 lead into halftime.
Senior
Assem Marei led the Maverick offense with 13 points, while senior
Zach Monaghan added eight points and seven assists. As a team, MSU hot 44.1% from the field in the first half, to go along with 17 rebounds and 11 assists.
Casey Schilling and Daniel Jansen led the Viking offense in the first half with 13 points each. As a unit, Augustana shot 17-of-30 (.567) from the field in the first session.
The Mavericks stormed out and took an early lead in the second half as they took the lead at 47-44 with 16:16 to go in the second half. MSU held the lead until the 4:19 mark of the second half when Augustana took the lead at 75-74.
MSU managed to build a three point lead with 2:20 left in regulation but the Vikings managed to knot up the score at 78 to force overtime. Freshman
TJ Lake led all scorers in the second half with 15 points as he connected on all five of his shots from behind the arc.
The Vikings would score first in the overtime session and they would not relinquish the lead throughout as they outscored the Mavericks 20-11 in overtime to claim the 98-89 win.
Marei finished the game with 28 points and eight rebounds, while Monaghan recorded his 13th career double-double with 21 points and a career-high 15 assists.
As a team, MSU shot 46.1% from the field, including a 13-of-29 (44.8%) from behind the arc. The Mavericks also passed out 24 assists.
Schilling led all scorers with 31 points and 13 rebounds, while Jansen added 29. The Vikings shot 55.9% from the field, and connected on 28-of-33 shots from the line, compared to MSU's 6-of-9 showing from the line.
Minnesota State continues its road trip on Friday as it takes on the Bemidji State Beavers. The opening tip is scheduled for 8 p.m.
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