SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 2 Augustana University men's basketball (9-1, 6-0 NSIC) will begin the New Year with a pair of home NSIC contests this Saturday and Sunday at the Sioux Falls Arena. The Vikings will welcome Sioux Falls (8-4, 3-3 NSIC) at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 2, as the two teams will square-off for a half a point in the First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge. On Sunday, Augustana will take on Southwest Minnesota State (7-4, 3-3 NSIC) at 5 p.m.
 
The crosstown rivalry between Augustana and USF will get back on track on the hardwood this weekend. Augustana holds a 5-0 lead in the First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge after sweeping all five head-to-head contests during the fall season.
 
The First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge is a head-to-head competition in 16 common, equally weighted sports at each school with each victory earning points towards the overall series championship. The Mayor's Cup Challenge also recognizes academic success and community engagement. Augustana has won the Mayor's Cup Challenge al three years of competition. The Vikings won the Inaugural Mayor's Cup Challenge by a sore of 13-6, before winning 14-5 in 2013-14, and 11.5-7.5 in 2014-15.
 
For more information on the First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge, visit SFMayorscup.com.
 
Storylines
• Augustana was ranked No. 2 in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll
• The Vikings have been ranked for 20 consecutive weeks dating back to Nov. 25 of last season
• Augustana has spent 15 straight weeks ranked in the top 10 of the NABC Top 25 poll
• Augustana enters the weekend riding an nine-game winning streak
• The Vikings are 9-1 on the season, including 6-0 in NSIC play
• Augustana enters the weekend leading the NSIC averaging 92.6 points per game which also ranks ninth in the country
• The Vikings have out-scored opponents by 24.5 points per game in 2015-16, which leads the NSIC and ranks second in the country
• The Vikings have scored 90-plus points in six straight games, including scoring 100-plus points twice
• Augustana has out-scored its opponents by 34.3 points during the six-game stretch of scoring 90-plus points
• Senior guard/forward Alex Richter enters the weekend as the nation's leader shooting 61 percent from 3-point range in 2015-16
• Richter has knocked down 25 of 41 3-pointers on the season and has made two or more in 8 of 10 games this season
• Sophomore guard Jordan Spencer matched his career-high with 11 assists against Wayne State on Dec. 19
• Spencer has dished out five or more assists in all 10 games this season and enters the weekend leading the NSIC averaging 6.9 assists per game (8th in the country)
• Augustana leads the country with a 1.8 assist to turnover ratio on the season
• Augustana's 11.0 turnovers per game is the fewest in the NSIC
 
Last time out
• Augustana won its ninth straight game with a 107-62 victory over Wayne State on Dec. 19 at the Sioux Falls Arena
• The Vikings scored 62 points in the first half and took a 62-33 lead into the break
• Casey Schilling led the Vikings with his fifth double-double of the season (25th career) scoring 24 points and grabbing 10 rebounds
• Schilling also moved up to 11th on the all-time scoring list now having scored 1,528 career points
• The Vikings out-rebounded Wayne State 45-18 and out-scored the Wildcats 48-26 in the paint
• Daniel Jansen added 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals in the win
• The win gave the Vikings a season sweep over the Wildcats
 
About Augustana
• Augustana is averaging 92.6 points per game which leads the NSIC and ranks ninth in the country
• The Vikings have allowed just 68.1 points per game in 2015-16, out-scoring opponents by 24.5 points per game
• Augustana is shooting 49.8 percent from the field as a team, including 44.2 percent from 3-point range
• The Vikings have shot 74 percent from the free throw line as a team, and have averaged 19.4 made free throws per contest
• Augustana's opponents are averaging just 11.8 made free throws per contest
• The Vikings are averaging a league-low 11.0 turnovers per game
• Augustana averages 19.4 assists per game and owns the best assist to turnover ratio in the country at 1.8
• Tom Billeter is in his 13th season as the head coach at Augustana. He owns a career record of 319-192
 
About Sioux Falls
• Sioux Falls enters the weekend with a record of 8-4 on the season, including 3-3 in NSIC play
• The Cougars are coming off a 62-60 loss at Southwest Minnesota State on Dec. 19
• USF enters the weekend averaging 77.6 points per game while allowing 66.8
• USF is shooting 47.2 percent from the field, including 37.1 percent from 3-point range
• USF has shot 67.2 percent from the free throw line, averaging 13.8 made free throws per game
• USF averages 38.7 rebounds, 14.5 assists and 14.1 turnovers per game
• Mack Johnson leads USF averaging 16.5 points per game and has hit 23 3-pointers on the year
• Chris Johnson is in his eighth season as the head coach at USF. He owns a career record of 148-111
 
About Southwest Minnesota State
• SMSU entered the weekend with a record of 7-4 on the season, including 3-3 in NSIC play
• The Mustangs played at Wayne State on Saturday night
• SMSU is averaging 79.1 points per game while allowing 78.0 points per contest on the year
• The Mustangs have shot 49.4 percent from the field, including 36.1 percent from 3-point range
• SMSU?is shooting 75.2 percent from the free throw line and averages 15.7 made FTs per game
• SMSU is averaging 34.5 rebounds, 14.8 assists and 13.5 turnovers per game in 2015-16
• Mitch Weg leads SMSU with 13.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game this season
• Brad Bigler is in his seventh season as the head coach at SMSU
• Bigler owns a career record of 102-84