SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 1 Augustana University men's basketball will open the regular season this Friday, Nov. 13, taking on Washburn University in Las Vegas, Nev. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. (CT) at the Doolittle Community Center.
 
The 2015-16 season marks the 94th in Augustana men's basketball history. The Vikings enter the 2015-16 season with an all-time record of 1,003-1,069. Augustana is 47-44 all-time in season openers and will open the regular season against Washburn for the second straight year.
 
Augustana and Washburn opened the 2014-15 season at the Sanford Pentagon Showcase. The Vikings defeated the Ichabods 87-83 in the season-opener last year in the first ever meeting between the two teams. Four Vikings scored in double-figures against the Ichabods in the season-opener last year, including Casey Schilling's game-high 23 points. Schilling added 12 rebounds and Daniel Jansen also picked up a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Washburn returns seven players and two redshirts from last season's team that finished 16-16, including 10-9 in the MIAA which was good for eighth-place. The Ichabods have one senior on the roster, Christian Ulsaker, who led the team with 6.7 points per game to go along with 2.7 rebounds. Washburn is coached by Bob Chipman who is in his 37th season as the Ichabods head coach. He owns a career record of 773-330.
 
Augustana has played two exhibition games this season. The Vikings opened exhibition play with a 91-78 win over Bethel University on Nov. 2 and last Friday, took down the University of Iowa 76-74 on a buzzer beater by Daniel Jansen. The Vikings led by as much as 15 in the second half and after the Hawkeyes tied the game at 74 on a 3-pointer by Peter Jok with 28 seconds left in the game, Augustana had a chance to go for the win. Augustana called a timeout with 11 seconds remaining in the game and got the ball into the hands of Jansen who hit a jumper at the buzzer to lift the Vikings to a 76-74 win. Jansen's shot ended up being the No. 1 play on ESPN's Sportscenter on Friday night. Click HERE for reaction to Augustana's win over Iowa on social media. 
 
Schilling led the Vikings in the win over Iowa, recording a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jansen added 19 points, four rebounds and two steals while Adam Beyer pitched in with 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
Head coach Tom Billeter, now in his 13th season as the Vikings' head coach, has 14 players on his 2015-16 roster including just two newcomers.

Jansen and Schilling were both named preseason All-America by DII Bulletin and the Sporting News Yearbook. Jansen was also named the NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year.

The Vikings also return the 2014-15 NSIC Freshman of the Year in Jordan Spencer and All-NSIC First Team selection Alex Richter this season. Last season, Augustana set single-season records for scoring (2,955), field goals made (1,016), 3-point field goals made (313) and free throws made (610). The Vikings also grabbed a single-season record 1,292 rebounds and dished out the third-most assists (573) in a season in 2014-15.

Jansen set the single-season scoring record last season, finishing with 671 points while Schilling pitched in with 644 points of his own. Jansen and Schilling both enter the season with a shot at pushing the Augustana career scoring record even higher. Jansen ranks 10th all-time with 1,534 career points. Schilling enters the season 13th all-time with 1,350 career points. Richter is just 57 points shy of 1,000 in his career entering the 2014-15 season.
 
Following the season-opener against Washburn, Augustana will host Northwest Missouri State in its home opener on Thursday, Nov. 19. The Vikings and Bearcats will meet at the Sioux Falls Arena next Thursday, with tip-off set for 7 p.m.