SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana University men's basketball held Doane University to just 14 second-half points cruising to an 81-45 victory over the Tigers in its final non-conference game of the season on Monday night. With the win, Augustana improved to 10-2 on the season. Tonight's game was an exhibition contest for Doane.
 
Marcus Asmus finished the night with a career-high 15 points for Augustana. Asmus was 5 of 10 from the field and hit 5 of 6 free throws.
 
Mike Busack led the Vikings in scoring with 17 points to go along with five rebounds. Busack finished 8 of 11 from the field, hitting 1 of 3 from behind the arc. Freshman forward Andy Kerkman had a solid game off the bench, putting up a season-high 11 points.
 
Augustana had 11 different players score in tonight's win over Doane. Lucas Walford pitched in with eight points, six rebounds and four blocks while Jordan Spencer and John Warren each added six points. Adam Beyer added eight points and three rebounds while going 4 of 4 from the free throw line.
 
Augustana finished the game shooting 49.3 percent from the field, hitting 34 of 69 shots. Augustana was 1 of 12 from 3-point range but knocked down 12 of 14 from the stripe. The Vikings forced 22 turnovers on the night while turning the ball over just six times.
 
Augustana held Doane to just six field goals in the second half as the Tigers finished the game shooting 31.6 percent from the field. Doane was 6 of 32 in the second half and did not attempt a free throw. Nate Kuhl and Mykeil Tzul led Doane with 11 points each on the night.
 
The Vikings opened up a 6-2 lead but Doane scored five straight to go in front 7-6, which would be its only lead of the game. Augustana responded by going on an 11-1 run over the next 4:32 to gain a nine-point lead at 17-8 after four straight points by Asmus. Asmus scored five points during Augustana's run.
 
Doane's Quin Conner hit a 3-pointer to stop the Vikings' run and Doane was able to get within four at 19-15 just past the midway point of the half. Augustana answered with another big run, this one sparked by Busack, as the Vikings scored 11 of the game's next 13 points to build a 13-point lead at 30-17.
 
Doane cut Augustana's lead to single digits twice in the final five minutes of the first half but the Vikings went into the locker room with a 14-point 45-31 lead.
 
Nine different players scored for the Vikings in the first half, led by Busack's 11 points. Asmus added nine points in the first half while Adam Beyer and Jordan Spencer each pitched in with six.
 
The Vikings shot 53.1 percent (17 of 32) from the field, including 1 of 6 from 3-point range. Augustana used the charity stripe to its advantage in the first half connecting on 10 of 12 free throws. Augustana scored 12 points off of 11 first-half turnovers by the Tigers.
 
The Vikings came out strong in the second half opening up a 20-point lead through the first four minutes of the second frame. Busack scored six straight points on a 10-4 Augustana run in the first 3:46 of the second half to help Augustana build a 55-35 lead.
 
The Vikings built on their lead scoring 10 straight points following the 10-4 opening run in the second half to extend their lead to 65-35 just past the midway point of the second frame.
 
Kerkman and Walford combined for 12 points in the final 7:58 of the game and the Vikings pushed their lead all the way up to 36 where it would stand as the final tally. Augustana's 81-45 win marks its second-largest margin of victory on the season behind the 37-point (103-66) win over Concordia-St. Paul on Dec. 2.
 
Augustana will return its attention to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play with a big weekend of South Division action on the horizon. The Vikings will host Southwest Minnesota State at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30 before taking on Sioux Falls on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 6 p.m. at the Sioux Falls Arena.