SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana men's basketball, the No. 1 seed in the South Division, opens play in the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament against North Division No. 8 seed Bemidji State University at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Sioux Falls Arena. The Vikings (26-2) won a share of the overall NSIC Championship with a 97-92 win at Upper Iowa last Friday.
 
Augustana's conference championship is the first since winning the North Central Conference title in 1988-89 and the fourth in program history. The Vikings are currently ranked first in the NCAA Central Region rankings and sixth in the NABC Top 25 Coaches Poll.
 
Augustana Storylines
• Augustana enters play ranked No. 6 in the NABC Top 25 poll after spending the last two weeks at No. 2.
• The Vikings have spent 13 straight weeks in the top 25, its longest stretch in program history.
• Augustana has won a school record 26 games this season and enters postseason play at 26-2.
• The Vikings finished conference play with a record of 20-2, becoming the first team in NSIC history to win 20 conference games in a season.
• Augustana had a 19-game win streak snapped in a 75-72 loss at Winona State last Saturday. The 19-game win streak was the longest in school history.
• Augustana leads the NSIC and ranks eighth in the country averaging 87.6 points per game.
• The Vikings have out-scored opponents by +17.1 points per game, ranking second in the NSIC and seventh in the country.
• Augustana is shooting 50.4 percent from the field which ranks second in the NSIC and 10th in the country.
• Augustana ranks second in the NSIC and eighth in Division II shooting 41.7 percent from 3-point range.
• The Vikings lead the NSIC averaging 38.0 rebounds per game and are 22-1when out-rebounding an opponent this season.
• Augustana leads the NSIC and ranks eighth in the country out-rebounding opponents by 8.7 rebounds per game.
• Augustana leads the NSIC and ranks 22nd in the nation dishing out 16.8 assists per game.
• Junior forward Daniel Jansen enters the weekend ranking second in the NSIC and 32nd in the country averaging 19.9 points per game.
• Jansen also ranks fifth in the NSIC grabbing 7.1 rebounds per game and seventh shooting 52.1 percent from the field.
• Jansen leads the NSIC and ranks 12th in the country in free throws made (155). He also leads the NSIC and ranks 13th nationally in free throw attempts (198).
• Junior forward Casey Schilling ranks fifth in the NSIC in scoring (18.3 ppg) and second in rebounding (7.9 rpg).
• Schilling is shooting 56.2 percent from the field, which ranks fourth in the NSIC.
• Schilling leads the NSIC and ranks 55th in the country averaging 2.0 steals per game.
• Junior guard/forward Alex Richter ranks ninth in the NSIC averaging 15.4 points per game and fifth shooting 53.2 percent from the field.
• Redshirt freshman guard Jordan Spencer enters the weekend ranking second in the NSIC and 13th in the country dishing out 6.2 assists per game.
• Spencer ranks second in the NSIC and fourth in the nation with a 3.5 assist to turnover ratio.
 
About Bemidji State
• Bemidji State enters postseason play at 8-18 on the season after finishing 4-18 in conference play.
• Bemidji State has lost six straight games entering postseason play.
• The Beavers are averaging 72.6 points per game while allowing 76.7 per contest.
• BSU has shot 45.9 percent from the field, including 35.8 percent from 3-point range.
• BSU is shooting 69 percent from the free throw line and averaging 12.0 made free throws per contest.
• BSU is averaging 31.8 rebounds per game while allowing 33.3.
• The Beavers have dished out 12.8 assists per game while committing 12.4 turnovers per contest.
• BSU averages 6.3 steals and 2.7 blocks per game.
• Brock Lutes leads Bemidji State in scoring (16.6 ppg) and rebounding (4.5 rpg).
• Lutes also leads the team with 47 made 3-pointers on the season.
• Kaylor Zimmerman is averaging 8.0 points and 3.1 rebounds and is shooting 47 percent from the field.
• Mike Boschee is in his third season as the head coach at Bemidji State.
• Boschee owns a career record of 159-154, including 44-39 at BSU.