Storylines
• Augustana men's basketball (9-5, 6-2 NSIC) is set to return to the Elmen Center this weekend for a pair of conference games against North Division foes.
• The Vikings welcome Bemidji State (8-4, 5-3 NSIC) at 8 p.m. Friday night.
• Augustana will then take on Minnesota Crookston (4-8, 1-7 NSIC) at 6 p.m. on Saturday night.
• Augustana enters the weekend winners of three straight games, tying its longest winning streak of the season.
• Augustana is 4-1 at the home this season and has never lost to Bemidji State or Minnesota Crookston at home.
Last time out
• Augustana hit the road for its first trip of 2014 and came away with two wins.
• The Vikings forced overtime at U-Mary hitting two free throws with one second left in the game and eventually won 75-68 on Friday night.
• Augustana then got off to a 14-0 start in the first five minutes at Minot State, going on to win 80-67 in its first ever game at the MSU Dome.
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Daniel Jansen tied the game at 64 with two free throws sending the game to overtime and the Vikings out-scored U-Mary 11-4 in the overtime sessions for the win.
• Augustana finished the final nine minutes of the second half on a 23-11 run to tie the game after trailing by 14.
• Jansen recorded a double-double in the win with 31 points and 11 rebounds.
• Augustana shot 60 percent (12 of 20) from the field in the second half.
• At Minot State, Augustana used seven second-half 3-pointers to pull away from the Beavers.
•
Casey Schilling led the Vikings with 27 points and
Yuriy Malashenko added 13 points and 16 rebounds.
About Augustana
• Augustana is 9-5 on the season and is has scored 78.8 points per game.
• Augustana has allowed 68.9 points per game this season and holds a +9.9 scoring margin.
• The Vikings have shot 45 percent from the field, including 36.4 percent (111 of 305) from 3-point range.
• The Vikings are shooting 70.3 percent (246 of 350) from the free throw line as a team.
• Augustana has grabbed 37.6 rebounds per game and holds a +3.4 rebound margin through 14 games.
• The Vikings are averaging 11.9 turnovers and own a +2.2 turnover margin.
Battle tested
• Augustana opened the 2013-14 season with exhibition games against NCAA Division I University of Arizona and Iowa State University.
• No. 1 Arizona (15-0) and No. 9 Iowa State (14-0) are two of just five Division I schools who remain undefeated this season.
• Syracuse (14-0), Wisconsin (15-0) and Wichita State (15-0) are the three other undefeated Division I teams.
• Augustana lost 84-52 to Arizona after trailing 46-32 at halftime on Oct. 28.
• The Vikings played Iowa State in Ames on Nov. 3, and led the Cyclones 39-36 at halftime before falling 90-68.
• Augustana has played nine Division I teams in exhibition games since the 2004-05 season.
About Bemidji State
• Bemidji State enters the weekend at 8-4 on the season, including 5-3 in NSIC play.
• The Beavers are coming off a split last weekend, losing 87-86 in overtime to Winona State last Friday night before picking up a 102-89 win over Upper Iowa on Saturday.
• Bemidji State has played just three road games this season and is 1-2 in those games.
• Bemidji State ranks second in the NSIC averaging 84.1 points per game (+13.0).
• Bemidji State has eclipsed 100 points in a game three times this season, including twice in NSIC play.
• Four of BSU's five starters are averaging double-digits in points, led by Brock Lutes' 17.7 points per game.
• Zach Noreen is averaging 17.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game followed by Jake Schalow (13.8 ppg), Maxie Rosenbloom (11.2 ppg) and DJ Hervy (9.2 ppg).
• Rosenbloom leads the NSIC in rebounding with 9.3 boards per game.
• BSU has shot 49.7 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from 3-point range and 75.2 percent from the free throw line this season.
• BSU averages 37.1 rebounds per game and 14.3 turnovers (-0.2).
• Mike Boschee is in his second season as the head coach at Bemidji State where he owns a 26-16 record (18-12 NSIC).
• Boschee spent nine seasons as the head coach at Central College (Iowa) and owns a career record of 141-131.
About Minnesota Crookston
• Minnesota Crookston enters the weekend at 4-8 on the season, 1-7 in conference play.
• The Golden Eagles will play at Wayne State on Friday night.
• UMC enters the weekend on a six-game losing streak, with its last win coming on Dec. 6 (87-85) over Minnesota Duluth.
• UMC is averaging 67.7 points per game while allowing 82.7 a game this season.
• The Golden Eagles are shooting 43.4 percent from the field, 33.2 percent from 3-point range and 68.9 percent from the free throw line.
• UMC averages 32.8 (-3.7) rebounds per game, 15.8 turnovers and 12.3 assists.
• Ashton Harrell leads UMC in scoring (15.3 ppg) and rebounding (4.1 rpg).
• Brandon Burns is averaging 11.4 points per game while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 82.6 percent from the free throw line.
• Jeff Oseth is in his 12th season as the head coach at Minnesota Crookston where he owns a career record of 59-227, including 25-189 in NSIC games.
Series history
• Friday night will be the 14th all-time meeting between Augustana and Bemidji State.
• The Vikings are 8-5 all-time against Bemidji State and have never lost to the Beavers at home.
• Augustana is 3-0 all-time against BSU at the Elmen Center.
• The last time the two teams played at the Elmen Center, Augustana defeated the Beavers 103-93 in double overtime on Jan. 7, 2012.
• Bemidji State won last year's only meeting, 67-67, in Bemidji, snapping Augustana's six-game winning streak over the Beavers.
• Augustana and Minnesota Crookston will play for the 13th time in series that began in 2003.
• Augustana is 11-1 all-time against the Golden Eagles.
• UMC's lone win in the series came on Nov. 24, 2004 in Crookston.
• Since then, Augustana has won 10 straight games over the Golden Eagles.
• Augustana is 6-0 all-time against Minnesota Crookston at the Elmen Center.
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