SIOUX FALLS – Four Vikings scored in double figures and Augustana led for the majority of Friday's Northern Sun home-opener, but a late Minot State surge lifted the Beavers to a 78-75 win on Friday night at the Sioux Falls Arena.
 
The loss drops the Vikings to 6-4 overall and to 1-3 in NSIC play, while the Beavers improve to 9-1 overall and to 3-1 in conference play.
 
The teams played to a 7-7 tie early, but the Vikings broke that tie with a 6-0 spurt to take a 13-7 lead less than eight minutes into the game, a lead that would slowly grow to as many as nine points at 36-27 with under two minutes left in the first half before Augustana took a 37-32 lead into the locker room.
 
The Beavers came out hot in the second half, and after trading baskets, they used an 8-0 run to take a 42-39 lead, drawing a timeout from the Augustana bench less than three minutes into the final frame.  
 
Jordan Spencer answered out the timeout to quell the run, the first of six straight for the Vikings, and part of a 9-2 run that put Augustana back in front 45-42 with 15:51 left on the clock.
 
The lead didn't last though, as the Beavers fired right back with a 9-0 run to retake the lead at 53-48 midway through the second half, and even though the Vikings came back to take a 61-60 lead with six minutes left, and then tie it at 66-all a couple of minutes later, the Beavers quickly regained the lead and never trailed again.
 
John Warren led all players in the game with 21 points, adding 7 rebounds and six assists. Spencer finished with 15 points and 5 each in assists and rebounds, while Matt Cartwright scored 14 and Adam Dykman 11 points in the loss.
 
David Akibo led a trio of visitors in double figures with 18 points. Luis Ricci Maia added 14 and Tyler Rudolph 15 points to go with his game-high 16 rebounds for the game's only double-double.
 
NOTES: Augustana leads the all-time series with Minot State, 5-2 … Friday's game marked the 2,151st game in program history … the Vikings fall to 5-1 this season when leading at the half and to 6-1 when making more 3-pointers than their opponent … both teams got 17 points from their bench … Minot State finished with a 42-24 edge in points in the paint … Augie led for 23 minutes, Minot State led for 11:46 and the teams played with a tie score for 5:14 … Warren scored at least 20 points in a game for the second time this season and for the fourth time in his career