ORANGE, California – The Augustana women's basketball team opened their 2016-17 season Friday night in California with a 70-61 victory over the Colorado School of Mines. The Vikings took on Mines as part of the Division II Conference Commissioners Association Tip-Off Classic.
 
Augustana fell behind 4-0 early in the first quarter but the Vikings would get their first points of the year on a triple by Shelby Selland. After each team had a two-minute scoring drought the Vikings hit two more three-pointers to take their first lead of the season at 9-7. The Vikings fell behind 15-14 but a free throw and then a three on the next trip down court gave Augustana an 18-15 lead at the end of the quarter. There were five lead changes and two ties in the first.
 
Mines took an early 21-18 lead in the second but the Vikings wasted little time getting back on top and taking a 22-21 lead. The score remained close until Augustana took a 30-27 lead on a Logan O'Farrell layup.  The layup sparked an 8-0 run for the Vikings. Augustana grabbed the first double-digit lead on a layup by Lynsey Prosser to go into the half up 40-30.
 
The Vikings grabbed all the momentum going into the break and the carried that into the third quarter scoring the first four points and eight of the first 10. With 2:30 left in the quarter Sydney Rome hit a free throw to extend the lead to 20 and make the score 54-34. Mines went on an 8-0 run to end the quarter and make it 56-42 Augustana.
 
In the final quarter, the Vikings got four early points to take an 18-point lead. A few minutes later Mines cut the lead to 15 but a triple by Naomi Rust got the 18-point lead right back. Colorado Mines made a late push to comeback in the game but the Vikings didn't allow them any closer than eight points on their way to a 70-61 opening night win.
 
Viking Notables
• O'Farrell posted her first double-double of the season and fifth of her career with 19-points and 10 rebounds
• The last double-double was Rome back on Feb. 14 against Minot State
• O'Farrell led all players with 19-points on 7-of-13 shooting
• Selland and Logan each had two blocks while Presley O'Farrell had one
• Augustana held Colorado Mines to 29 percent shooting
• This is the fifth straight season Augustana has started the season with a win
• Augustana is now 2-0 all-time against Mines
• Augustana scored 30 points in the paint and 17-second chance points
• Mines committed 20 turnovers which the Vikings turned into 26 points
 
Up Next
Augustana will play their second game of the CCA Tip-Off Classic tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. against Simon Fraser.