SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 25 Southwest Minnesota State's Michael Lee hit a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining in the game to give the Mustangs a 75-72 lead and the visiting team would hang to for the 78-76 win to hand Augustana University its first home loss in 39 games.
 
Augustana had not lost a home game since Feb. 15, 2014 against Northern State. The Vikings had also won 32 straight games at the Sioux Falls Arena. The Vikings were 29-0 at home since moving back to the Sioux Falls Arena permanently in 2014-15. The last time Augustana lost at the Sioux Falls Arena was on Feb. 21, 2007.
 
Augustana led by as much as 12 in the second half and did not surrender the lead until SMSU went in front 65-64 with 4:46 remaining. The two teams played to two tie scores in the final two minutes of the contest and the Mustangs were able to hang on after the late 3-pointer by Lee.
 
The match-up was about as even as is it gets as both teams shot 50 percent from the field. SMSU was 30 of 56 (53.6 percent) and hit 6 of 18 from behind the arc. The Vikings finished the night 31 of 61 (50.8 percent) and hit 6 of 17 from behind the arc.
 
SMSU hit 12 of 20 from the free throw line while the Vikings were 8 of 15 (53.3 percent). SMSU's Ryan Bruggeman led all scorers with 27 points on the night.
 
Mike Busack led Augustana with his first double-double in a Viking uniform (fourth career). Busack finished with a team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. Busack was 8 of 15 from the field and knocked down 2 of 4 from behind the arc.
 
Jordan Spencer finished with 18 points and seven assists while Adam Beyer pitched in with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists.  
 
SMSU opened up a 6-2 lead early in the contest but the Vikings scored 10 straight points over the next three minutes to go in front 12-6. Schaefer came off the bench and knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Vikings the six-point lead with 14:40 remaining in the half.
 
The Vikings did not lose the lead for the remainder of the half after the 10-0 run. SMSU made it a one-point game at 18-17 after a free throw by Turner Moen but Augustana was able to push its lead back up to six. Beyer knocked down a 3-pointer and Spencer followed with a 3-point-play on Augustana's next possession to give the Vikings a 24-17 lead. Spencer's 3-point play was Augustana's first free throw attempt of the half.
 
SMSU cut the lead to two with 3:18 remaining in the half but the Vikings continued to answer pushing their lead back up to eight at 31-23 following a Spencer steal and dish to Warren in transition. Augustana saw the shot clock run out on its final possession of the first half but SMSU needed just four seconds for KJ Davis to slice through the defense from midcourt as he beat the buzzer to make the score 33-29 in Augustana's favor at the half.
 
Augustana finished the half shooting 43.8 percent from the field. The Vikings were 14 of 32 from the field, hitting 3 of 9 from behind the arc. Spencer and Beyer led the Vikings in the first half with eight points each.
 
SMSU was led by Ryan Bruggeman's 12 first-half points. The Mustangs shot 44.4 percent (12 of 27) from the field in the first half and were 0 of 9 from behind the arc. SMSU was 5 of 9 from the free throw line while the Vikings were 2 of 3 from the stripe in the half.
 
Augustana started out the second half strong opening up a 12-point lead over the first four minutes of the frame taking a 46-34 lead after a 3-pointer by Busack. SMSU didn't go away quietly as the Mustangs went on to out-score the Vikings 18-8 over the next 5:29 to make it a two-point game at 54-52 with 10:30 to play. SMSU hit 7 of 10 from the field during the run, including three from 3-point range.
 
The Vikings weathered the storm hitting 4 of their next 6 shots to push the lead back up to five at 63-58 with 7:05 to play. SMSU followed with a 7-1 run that gave the Mustangs their first lead, at 65-64, since the 3:55 mark of the first half.
 
Zach Huisken hit a layup to put the Vikings back in front 66-65 and the two teams would play to two more ties in the final minutes of the contest. With the game tied at 72, Lee hit a 3-pointer for the Mustangs with 34 seconds remaining in the game to put SMSU in front 75-72.
 
Augustana made it a one point game at 75-74 when Busack hit two of three free throws after getting fouled while taking a 3-pointer but the Mustangs were able to hang on for the 78-76 win to hand Augustan its first home loss in over three seasons.
 
The Vikings return to action on Saturday, Dec. 31, hosting the University of Sioux Falls. The Vikings and Cougars are set to tip-off at 6 p.m. at the Sioux Falls Arena.