SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 2 Augustana College men's basketball returns to the Sioux Falls Arena this Friday and Saturday to close-out a four-game homestand. The Vikings (23-1, 17-1 NSIC) open the weekend taking on Southwest Minnesota State (12-12, 8-10 NSIC) at 8 p.m. on Friday night before welcoming Sioux Falls (8-16, 5-13 NSIC) at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
 
The Vikings are currently riding a program-best 16-game win streak and enter the weekend in first place in the overall and South Division NSIC standings.
 
Storylines
• Augustana enters the weekend ranked No. 2 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Top 25 Poll.
• The Vikings have spent 11 straight weeks in the NABC Top 25 poll, vaulting into the top five two weeks ago.
• The No. 2 ranking is the highest ranking in program history.  
• Augustana enters the weekend with a record of 23-1 on the season, including 17-1 in conference play.
• The Vikings' 23 wins on the season is one shy of matching the single season record of 24 which was set in 2009-10.
• Augustana's 17 conference wins is the most in a single season in program history.
• Augustana enters the weekend riding a 16-game win streak, which is the longest win streak in program history.
• Augustana enters the weekend averaging 88.1 points per game which leads the NSCI and ranks ninth in the nation.
• Augustana has out-scored opponents by 18.6 points per game, which leads the NSIC and ranks fifth in the country.
• Augustana leads the NSIC in rebounding averaging 38.6 boards per game.
• The Vikings also lead the NSIC in rebound defense, allowing just 29.8 rebounds per game.
• Augustana leads the conference and ranks ninth in Division II with a +8.8 rebound margin on the season.
• The Vikings lead the NSIC and rank 20th in the country dishing out 17 assists per contest.
• Junior forward Daniel Jansen was named the NSIC's South Division Player of the Week after averaging 31.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while hitting 10 3-pointers in two wins last weekend.
• Jansen enters the weekend as the NSIC's leading scorer averaging 20.5 points per game, which ranks 22nd nationally.
• Jansen ranks sixth in the NSIC in rebounding (7.0 rpg), sixth in field goal percentage (51.2 percent) and 11th in free throw percentage (79.3 percent).
• Casey Schilling ranks fourth in the NSIC in scoring (18.7 ppg) and second in rebounding (8.0 rpg).
• Schilling leads the NSIC and ranks 26th in the country with eight double-doubles on the year.
• Schilling is shooting 57.9 percent from the field this season, ranking third in the NSIC and 32nd in the country.
• Alex Richter ranks ninth in the NSIC in scoring averaging 15.5 points per game while ranking fourth in the conference shooting 53.3 percent from the field.
• Redshirt freshman Jordan Spencer enters the weekend averaging 11.1 points per game to go along with a team-high 6.0 assists per game.
• Spencer ranks second in the conference and 16th in the nation in assists (6.0 apg).
• Spencer ranks second in the NSIC and sixth in the country with an assist to turnover ratio of 3.3.
 
About Augustana
• Augustana is averaging 88.1 points per game and is out-scoring opponents by 18.6 points per game.
• The Vikings are shooting 50.5 percent from the field, including 41.4 percent from the free throw line.
• Augustana is averaging 17.8 made free throws per game and is shooting 74.9 percent from the stripe.
• Augustana is averaging 38.6 rebounds per game and is out-rebounding opponents by 8.8 boards per game.
• The Vikings have dished out 17 assists per game to just 11.7 turnovers per contest.
• The Vikings are averaging 6.1 steals and 2.8 blocks per game.
• Daniel Jansen leads the Vikings averaging 20.5 points per game and is shooting 51.2 percent from the field while hitting a team-high 45 3-pointers.
• Casey Schilling is averaging 18.7 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting a team-high 57.9 percent from the field.
• Alex Richter is averaging 15.5 points per game and has hit 44 3-pointers while shooting 53 percent from the field.
• Jordan Spencer is averaging 11.1 points and a team-high 6.0 assists per game.
• Adam Beyer is averaging 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Vikings.
• Tom Billeter is in his 17th season as a collegiate head coach and owns a career record of 302-189.
• Billeter owns a record of 205-139 in 12 seasons as the head coach at Augustana.
 
About Southwest Minnesota State
• Southwest Minnesota State enters the weekend with a record of 12-12 on the season, including 8-10 in conference play.
• The Mustangs are 4-6 in road games this season and are riding a three-game winning streak entering this weekend.
• SMSU is averaging 77 points per game while allowing 76.1 points per game this season.
• The Mustangs are shooting 47.9 percent from the field, including 40 percent from 3-point range.
• SMSU has averaged 12 made free throws per game and is shooting 71.4 percent from the stripe this season.
• SMSU has averaged 34.1 rebounds per game and owns a +0.3 rebound margin on the season.
• The Mustangs average 13.6 assists and 11.7 turnovers per game this season.
• SMSU is averaging 5.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game in 2014-15.
• Joey Bartlett is averaging 14.5 points per game and has hit a team-high 51 3-pointers for the Mustangs.
• Cole Martin is averaging 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds while Mitch Weg has averaged 12.3 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds per game.
• Brad Bigler is in his sixth season as the head coach at SMSU and owns a career record of 95-75.
 
About USF
• USF enters the weekend with a record of 8-16 on the season, including 5-13 in conference play.
• The Cougars snapped a nine-game losing streak last Saturday with a 69-64 win at Bemidji State.
• The Cougars take on Wayne State on Friday night in Wayne, Neb.
• USF is averaging 67.8 points per game while allowing 73.8 points per contest in 2014-15.
• The Cougars are shooting 44.6 percent from the field, including 32 percent from 3-point range.
• USF averages 13.2 made free throws per game and is shooting 66.2 percent from the free throw line.
• The Cougars averaged 35.3 rebounds per game and own a +4.9 rebound margin on the season.
• The Cougars have dished out 11.2 assists per game while turning it over 15 times per game.
• USF has averaged 5.4 steals and 4.0 blocks per game.
• Charles Ward leads the Cougars in scoring (17.9 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 rpg).
• Mack Johnson is averaging 14.7 points per game and has hit a team-high 55 3-pointers on the season.
• Chris Johnson is in his eighth season as a head coach and owns a career record of 140-102, including 124-87 in seven seasons at USF.
 
Mayor's Cup Challenge
• Augustana and USF will be playing for a half a point in the First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge on Saturday night.
• The Mayor's Cup Challenge is an annual head-to-head competition between the Augustana and USF athletic departments and their fans which pits 16 common, equally weighted sports to determine which school and their fan base can claim bragging rights for that year.
• Augustana has won the point-based competition two straight seasons.
• The 2014-15 First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge is currently tied at 3-3.
• For more information on the First Dakota National Bank Mayor's Cup Challenge, visit SFmayorscup.com.
 
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