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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana scored a season-low 53 points and shot just 34.5 percent from the field to drop 61-53 to Northern State Saturday evening in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's basketball.
The Vikings (6-2, 3-1 NSIC) had their six-game win streak snapped by NSU (6-3, 2-2 NSIC), who handed Augustana its first conference loss of the season.
The Wolves had four players in double-figure scoring. Alison Kusler recorded a game-high 21 points. Mikayla Barondeau notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Faith Tinklenberg led the Vikings in scoring with 15 points and
Lydia Nelson collected 10 rebounds.
Augustana put together an impressive 18-1 run in the first nine minutes of play, but failed to capitalize on its advantage throughout the remainder of the half. After a layup by Tinklenberg put the Vikings ahead 27-12 at 5:26, NSU began a streak of hot shooting, scoring 14 of the half's final 19 points to cut its deficit to 32-26 at the break.
Both teams were similar from the floor in the half. Augustana made 11 of 33 (33.3 percent), while NSU was 8 of 26 (30.8 percent).
The Vikings furthered their lead to open the second half, using a 5-2 run to gain a nine-point lead at 18:22.
From there NSU began a counterattack and took the next eight points to tie the game 37-37.
Tinklenberg then scored a 3-pointer and Nelson made a layup to give Augustana its final lead of the game at 13:22 as the Wolves would use the next three minutes to go on a 4-0 run and take a 43-42 lead.
Nelson recorded a layup at 7:54 to give the game its last tie at 45-45, but Augustana couldn't stop NSU's offense as it pulled away with a 6-0 run and never looked back.
NSU shot 42.9 percent from the field, including 46.2 from 3-point range.
The Vikings return home to host Minnesota, Crookston and MSU Moorhead Dec. 17 and Dec. 18, respectively.
