MANKATO, Minn. – No. 2 Augustana University men's basketball (13-1, 10-0 NSIC) scored a season-high 67 points in the first half and held off a furious comeback attempt by Minnesota State (11-3, 6-3 NSIC) in a 101-91 win over the Mavericks on the road.
 
It was a tale of two halves for Augustana as the Vikings shot a scorching 75.9 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes hitting 22 of 29 field goal attempts. The Vikings shot 38.5 percent (10 of 26) in the second half hitting just one of six 3-pointers. Augustana finished the game shooting a season-high 58 percent from the field.
 
Augustana also matched its season-high shooting 83 percent from the free throw line connecting on 30 of 36 shots from the stripe. This marks the first time Augustana has made 30-plus free throws in a game since making 31 against Northern State on March 2, 2013.
 
Augustana was 6 of 8 from behind the arc in the first half behind a huge performance from senior Alex Richter. Richter finished the night with a career-high 31 points on 11 of 15 shooting, while hitting 5 of 6 3-pointers and 4 of 4 free throws. The 30-point performance is the first of Richter's career and the first by a Viking since Casey Schilling scored 30 against Minnesota Duluth on March 1, 2015.
 
Daniel Jansen picked up his third double-double of the season (16th career) finishing with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Jansen grabbed eight defensive boards and added three assists and three steals while shooting 8 of 12 from the field and connecting on 12 of 13 free throws.
 
With the 28-point performance, Jansen moved into fourth all-time at Augustana in scoring. Jansen has now scored 1,806 career points putting him 158 shy of the all-time career record at Augustana. Jansen passed Mark Smed who scored 1,795 points from 1979-83.
 
Casey Schilling added 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks and Jordan Spencer finished with 12 points and five assists.
 
Minnesota State shot 46 percent (37 of 77) from the field, including 7 of 26 from 3-point range and got 20 points each from Jon Fuqua and Lucas Brown. Joey Witthus pitched in with 16 points for the Mavericks, hitting four of the team's seven 3-pointers.
 
The Vikings pushed the pace in the first five minutes of the game jumping out to an 11-point lead at 20-9. Augustana was scorching hot from the field, starting 9 of 9, scoring 12 of its first 20 points in the paint.
 
Augustana continued its hot start out of the first media timeout of the game and hit 13 of 13 field goals to start the game with the first missed shot coming on a 3-point attempt by Schilling with 11:57 remaining in the half. The Vikings built a 14-point lead at 25-11 using a 13-2 run over a two-plus minute stretch.
 
The Mavericks put together a short run to cut Augustana's lead down to night after a 3-pointer by Joey Witthus and a basket by TJ Lake but the Vikings continued to fire on all cylinders answering with an 18-0 run over a four-plus minute stretch to break the game open with a 27-point lead at 47-20 with 7:14 remaining in the half.
 
Richter could not be stopped in the first half as he checked out for the first time of the game for a breather before the under-five minute media timeout already having scored 19 points on the night. Richter hit his fourth 3-pointer of the half shortly after checking back in and he went on to finish the half scoring 24 points on 8 of 9 shooting, including 4 of 4 from behind the arc.
 
The rapid pace of the half became contagious as the Vikings and Mavericks combined for 45 points over the final six minutes of the half. MSU out-scored the Vikings 25-20 in the final six minutes of the half but the huge run earlier allowed the Vikings to take a 22-point lead into the half.
 
The Vikings scored a season-high 67 points in the first half and took a 67-45 lead after shooting 75.9 percent (22 of 29), including 6 of 8 from 3-point range. Augustana added 17 points at the free throw line and finished the half 17 of 19 (89 percent) from the stripe.
 
As efficient as the Vikings were in the half, they also limited MSU's chances by holding on to the ball. Augustana committed just one turnover in the first 20 minutes of play.
 
Richter was one of three Vikings to reach double-digits in the first half. Jansen added 18 points on 5 of 6 shooting while knocking down 8 of 8 free throws. Spencer finished the half with 10 points and four assists.
 
MSU finished the half shooting 50 percent (18 of 36) from the field, including 30 percent (3 of 10) from behind the arc. The Mavericks shot just six free throws in the half but connected on all of their attempts. Jalen Pendleton and Lucas Brown each scored 12 points for MSU in the first half.
 
Things slowed down a bit early in the second half but the Vikings were able to build on their halftime lead and extend it to 24 at 74-50 with 16:41 to play.
 
That's where the Mavericks started to match Augustana's fast-paced style of play answering with a 17-6 run over the next five minutes cutting the Vikings' lead from 24 to 13. Witthus hit a jumper that made the score 80-67 in favor of the Vikings with 11:41 to play.
 
The Vikings stretched the lead back up to 20 after Richter's fifth 3-pointer of the game and a pair of Jansen free throws that made the score 87-67. Minnesota State continued to push the pace over the next nine minutes and attacked the rim scoring 14 of its next 21 points in the paint during a 21-10 run that cut Augustana's lead down to single digits with just over one minute to play.
 
Augustana stretched the lead back up to 11 after Schilling and Beyer both hit 1 of 2 free throws but Witthus hit a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left in the game to make the score 99-91. Spencer iced the game with two free throws and after a huge first-half lead the Vikings escaped the Taylor Center with a hard-fought 101-91 win.
 
Augustana has now won 13 straight games, improving its record to 13-1 overall, including 10-0 in NSIC play. Near the midway point of the NSIC season, Augustana sits alone in first place in the conference standings.
 
Augustana returns home next weekend to host a pair of NSIC North Division opponents at the Sioux Falls Arena. The Vikings take on St. Cloud State at 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 15 before hosting Minnesota Duluth at 6 p.m. on Saturday.