ST. PAUL, Minn. – For a second straight year, the Augustana women's basketball team was on the short end of some late-game heroics at Concordia-St. Paul, losing 78-77 in a wild Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contest on Saturday at the Gangelhoff Center. The Vikings' record fell to 6-4 (0-3 NSIC) with the loss, while the Golden Bears jumped to 5-3 (1-1 NSIC).

Augustana has now lost three straight to CU by a combined five points in the last two seasons.

Shaunteva Ashley led all players with 19 points. Ashley was able overcome a rough night shooting by getting to the foul line and go 13 for 17, both career highs. The former Roosevelt high star also had six rebounds and four assists in the loss.

Sophie Kenney chipped in 11 points and five assists for the Vikings in 34 minutes of play.

Paige Peterson added 10 points and eight rebounds from the low post.

Anika Whiting led Concordia-St. Paul with 18 points and 10 rebounds, her third double-double this year.

Voneisha Harris had a season-high 16 points in the win for the Golden Bears.

Lauren Shifflett came off to bench for CU to pour in 15 points, a new season high.

The Golden Bears came out aggressive, attacking the paint early and often, resulting in an early 8-0 run to take an 11-2 lead after a made jumper by Mishayla Jones with 16:14 left in the half. CU's first six made shots all came in the paint.

Concordia-St. Paul built its lead to 11, its largest of the half, at 27-16 after a layup by Harris.

Augustana, showing its determination, refused to let this game get out of hand, immediately going on a 14-3 run over the next 5:11 to tie the game up after Hayley McCarron converted a three-point play at the foul line for her sixth point of the game.

A buzzer-beating 3 by Sydney Rome sent both teams into the half tied at 35. For Rome, it was her only made shot in the opening 20 minutes.

The Vikings hung around in the first half after making an adjustment defensively and started forcing the Golden Bears to settle for long shots. The plan worked as CU wasn't able to convert with consistency from the outside, causing them to finish the half shooting 34.2 percent (13 for 38).

Augustana's bench gave the team a nice spark in the first half, scoring 19 points, led by Naomi Rust's seven points, her most since a season-high output back on Nov. 21.

A strong start in the second half for the Vikings gave them their first lead of the game at 44-43 after a made free throw by Logan O'Farrell, part of a 9-0 run in a little under two minutes.

Concordia-St. Paul bounced back with a huge 18-4 run of its own that was capped off by Jones' made jump shot to make it 61-50 with 11:43 remaining.

Augustana was able to get into the bonus early in the half against the Golden Bears, giving itself the opportunity to stick around by getting and making its free throws, going 22 for 25 from the charity stripe.

The Vikings continued to press their attacking mentality, using a 12-0 run over a 3:44 span late in the second half to tie the game up at 66 with just under six minutes remaining after Nicole Kerkhoff's layup, giving her six points on the night.

Both teams continued to battle back and forth late, with CU getting up by as much as six but Augustana continuing to fight back into the game by making its free throws.

Again, for a second year in a row, Concordia-St. Paul was able to come up with the late-game heroics with Schifflett getting fouled while grabbing a defensive rebound against Peterson with 10 seconds left and the game tied at 77 all. Schifflett made one of two from the foul line to give the Golden Bears the one-point lead.

The Vikings saw their chance to seize the game at the buzzer come up just short, with Peterson getting her shot in the paint blocked by Caityln Russell to end the game and give CU the 78-77 victory.

Battle to the very end
Augustana did everything it could to give itself a chance to take this game late, including abandoning its long-ball mentality and instead attacked the paint relentlessly in the second half, resulting in the Vikings going 26 of 30 (86.7 percent) in game. The 86.7 percent and 26 made free throws were both new season highs.

Up next
The Vikings return home to host two NSIC games at the Sioux Falls Arena next weekend. First up, Augustana takes on Bemidji State on Friday at 6 p.m. Finally, The Vikings face Minnesota Crookston on Saturday. Tip is set for 4 p.m.