SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- Minnesota State's football season came to an end Saturday afternoon in Sioux Falls, as the Mavericks fell to Augustana 51-24 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

With the loss, MSU finishes its season with a 9-3 record. With the win, AU improves to 11-1. Augustana will now take on Colorado School of Mines in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Mavericks struck first on their opening drive as they went 62 yards on 12 plays, before junior Matthew Jaeger connected on a 36-yard field goal to put MSU up 3-0. Later on in the third quarter, Augustana took advantage of a Maverick interception that set the Vikings up on the MSU 11. The Maverick defense would hold the Vikings in place before Jake Pecina connected on a 28-yard field goal to tie the score at 3-3 with 1:49 left in the opening quarter.

AU notched the first touchdown of the game early in the second quarter to go up 10-3. AU took over on the MSU 46 after recovering a Maverick fumble and then worked its way down field, including a 12-yard touchdown pass from Casey Bauman to Devon Jones.

Another Augustana interception early in the second quarter would set up the Vikings on the Maverick two yard line. Bauman then connected with Jones again on the two-yard touchdown pass to put AU 17-3 with 9:44. The 17-3 score would hold into halftime as neither team was able to reach the end zone in the final 9:44 of the second quarter.

On the opening drive of the third quarter, Augustana started off on the MSU 38 after a 42-yard return from Isaiah Huber and a personal foul by the Mavericks. Six plays later, Jarod Epperson notched h a four-yard touchdown run, to put Augustana up 24-3.

Au would add two more touchdowns in the third quarter to go up 37-3. Bauman recorded a 24-yard touchdown run, before he hooked up with Jones on a five-yard touchdown pass.

The Mavericks added three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Junior Hayden Ekern connected with sophomore TreShawn Watson on touchdown passes from 12 and 13 yards out, before senior Trey Vaval returned an AU kickoff 79 yards for the touchdown. Augustana would record two touchdowns of its own however as the Vikings locked down the 51-24.

Ekern threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns, while Watson led the Maverick receiving corps with eight catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Ekern led the Maverick rushing attack with 45 yards.
Senior Dakota Smith led the Maverick defense with nine tackles, while senior Nathan Bolton and junior Joey Goettl each recorded five tackles.

For Augie, Bauman finished with 243 passing yards and four touchdowns. Jones led AU receivers with 91 yards and four touchdown catches. Rasahd Lampkin tallied 65 rushing yards and a touchdown also.

Jake Polson and Brayden Hoops each tallied eight tackles, while five different Vikings recorded an interception.