BOX SCORE
MANKATO, Minn. - Augustana rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit and picked up a 70-64 win over Minnesota State Friday evening in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference basketball.
Augustana improves to 13-7 (10-6 NSIC), while MSU falls to 7-13 (6-10 NSIC).
Cody Schilling scored a game-high 23 points for the Vikings, which beat the Mavericks for the second time this season.
Leif Nomeland added 16,
Cameron McCaffrey had 14 and
Alex Richter netted 11.
The also Vikings received a seven-rebound performance from
Brennan Olson.
MSU was led by Zach Romashko's 21 points.
The Mavericks' largest lead was a 16-point difference with 2:32 left in the first half. MSU led 35-24 at the break.
The Vikings shot 50 percent in the final 20 minutes and drilled five 3-pointers.
Romasko's 13 first-half points keyed the sizeable Maverick lead in the first half. He went 5 of 6 from the field, helping his team shoot 50 percent in the opening frame.
Sparked by a three-point play from Schilling, the Vikings opened the second half on a 14-2 run that put them ahead 38-37 with 14:28 to play. Schilling had 10 point during the span.
Richter drilled a trey with 10 minutes left for a 50-44 Vikings lead, but MSU got a 3-pointer of its own with four minutes to go grab a 54-52 advantage.
Nomeland answered with another 3-pointer 30 seconds later, and the Vikings stretched their lead to eight points with 37 ticks remaining.
Schilling and McCaffrey collaborated for six free throws in the final 40 seconds to keep the lingering Mavericks away.
The Vikings committed just eight turnovers in the win, which was their third straight.
Schilling--who logged three steals--spearheaded a solid Viking defense that made nine swipes on the evening. The Mavericks finished with 13 turnovers; Augustana turned those mistakes into 13 points.
Augustana plays at Southwest Minnesota State tomorrow at 8 p.m.
