ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State used a late 12-2 run and hit three big 3-pointers in the final three minutes of the game to secure a 91-83 win over Augustana University men's basketball on Saturday night. The Vikings (15-7, 10-6 NSIC) led by as much as nine in the second half before the Huskies (16-9, 12-4 NSIC) pulled away late.
 
The Vikings held SCSU to just 3 of 11 from 3-point range in the first half but the Huskies hit 7 of 18 in the second half, including three in the final three minutes. Augustana finished the night shooting 45.4 percent from the field. The Vikings hit 5 of 13 3-pointers in the first half but were just 2 of 8 in the second half.
 
Adam Beyer led Augustana with 21 points on 9 of 13 shooting, including 1 of 3 from behind the arc. Jordan Spencer added 20 points, six rebounds and six assists while Mike Busack recorded his second double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
 
SCSU was led by Scottie Stone who had a game-high 28 points. The Huskies shot 45.3 percent from the field, hitting 10 of 29 3-pointers. St. Cloud State used the free throw line to its advantage going 23 of 30 from the line.
 
Both teams got off to a blistering-hot start from the field racing out to a 17-17 tie after matching one another each trip down the floor. Spencer had the hot hand for the Vikings early going 3 of 3 from 3-point range in the first seven minutes to lead the Vikings with nine points at the game's first media timeout.
 
Augustana and SCSU were tied six times in the first seven minutes, both shooting well over 50 percent to start out the night. John Warren gave the Vikings a four-point lead at 21-17 knocking down a transition three from the right corner but the Huskies answered with nine straight points to regain the lead at 26-21 with 9:16 remaining in the first half.
 
SCSU built a six-point lead of 32-26 after a 3-pointer by Scottie Stone but Beyer scored five straight for the Vikings to make it 32-31 with 5:13 left in the half. The fast-paced half continued and the Vikings and Huskies traded leads one more time before the end of the half.
 
Augustana led by three twice in the final two minutes and carried a 41-40 lead into the break. The Vikings closed-out the half shooting 44 percent (15 of 34) from the field, including 5 of 13 from 3-point range.
 
Beyer was 5 of 8 from the field in the first half and led the Vikings with 13 points. Spencer pitched in with 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range.
 
SCSU shot 46.7 percent (14 of 30) in the first half, including 3 of 11 from 3-point range. The Huskies were also 9 of 11 from the free throw line.
 
Both teams came out of the locker room with the same pace as the first half on the mind. Augustana and St. Cloud State slugged it out over the first five minutes of the second half matching one another point-for-point. The Vikings took a 55-54 lead into the first media timeout of the second half before getting seven straight points from Marcus Asmus to gain the largest lead of the night by either team, at 62-54.
 
Augustana led by as much as nine, twice in the second half, during an 8-3 run where the Vikings got to the line six times. Augustana led 73-64 with 7:32 remaining in the game before SCSU scored nine of the game's next 11 points to get within two at 75-73 with just over five minutes left.
 
Stone hit a pair of free throws to give the Huskies their first lead since minutes into the second half but Beyer hit a bucket to put the Vikings back in front 79-78 with 1:53 to go. SCSU then scored eight straight to take a seven point lead at 79-86 and time ran out on the Vikings as the Huskies closed-out the night with seven free throws to earn the 91-83 win.
 
Augustana returns to the Sioux Falls Arena next weekend to host a pair of NSIC North Division teams. The Vikings will take on Minnesota Crookston at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3 before taking on Bemidji State on Saturday at 6 p.m.