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Vikings provide test for Minnesota, fall in exhibition
Drae Murray

Vikings provide test for Minnesota, fall in exhibition

BOX SCORE

MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota rallied from a five-point halftime deficit and held off a lingering Augustana squad en route to a 72-60 exhibition victory over the Vikings Monday evening at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

Augustana led by as many as seven points in the first half, but Minnesota opened the second half on a 15-4 run and extended a two-point lead with seven minutes left into a double-figure win.

The Vikings got a spectacular debut from point guard Drae Murray, who scored 22 points and drilled five 3-pointers.  Cody Schilling, the 2011-12 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Player of the Year, added 16 points and eight rebounds.

Trevor Mbakwe's double-double--22 points and 13 rebounds--paced the Gophers, who finished 17-14 a year ago.

Augustana shot 32.2 percent from the field in the loss; Minnesota connected at a 46.7 percent clip.

The Vikings led for much of the first half.

Augustana took a promising lead at around the 13- minute mark.  A 3-pointer by Murray and seven straight points from Schilling gave the Vikings a 21-15 advantage with 10:17 remaining before the break.

Minnesota, however, tied the contest with 6:34 left when Andre Hollins drilled a free throw to make it 24-24.

The Vikings stormed back behind Murray, who had eight points in the final six minutes, and led 38-33 at halftime.

Murray nailed five 3-pointers in the opening half and led all scorers with 19 points.  Schilling had nine points.

The Gophers seemed revived after the break, opening the second half on a 15-4 run that would give them the lead for the remainder of the contest.

Augustana nudged back by closing the deficit to two points three times, the last coming on a nice slam by Brennan Olson that had the Vikings trailing 57-55 with 7:13 left.  Augustana also had a three-point difference to work from with 4:29 remaining, but the Gophers scored the final nine points to pull away.

The Vikings were whistled for 34 fouls, lost four players because of it and allowed Minnesota to shoot 38 free throws.  The Gophers were called for 14 fouls.

Augustana faces the University of Sioux Falls Nov. 15 in the fifth annual Prairie Spirit Charitable Challenge at the Sioux Falls Arena.










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