MARSHALL, Minn -- For the second straight game, the Augustana men's basketball team used an impressive second-half effort for a big win on the road. Trailing by four at the break, the Vikings shot 56% and stacked up 47 points in the second half en route to an 85-72 win over Southwest Minnesota State.  The Vikings, who improved to 4-0 on the road in the NSIC, move to 10-3 (6-1) overall. SMSU drops to 8-5 (3-4).

Augustana head coach Tom Billeter was impressed with the Vikings second half and their overall ball security. "We shot the ball well in the second half and guarded decently in the final five minutes," Billeter said. "We only had four turnovers against a really good SMSU team." 

Billeter now sits just three wins away from 300 in his Viking career, and six away from 400 wins in his 21st season.

The story of Friday's win is Augustana coming alive in the second half. Starting on the defensive end, the Vikings locked in and limited SMSU to just 4-13 from downtown, 0 free throw attempts and forced six turnovers. 

Offensively, the Vikings continued to ride the hot-hand of A.J. Plitzuweit, but also received key contributions up and down the lineup. Matt Cartwright, who is averaging 20 points over the Vikings seven-game win streak, led all players with 13 points in the final 20 minutes. 

Plitzuweit showed his ability to score from all over the court, getting buckets inside and out on the way to a career-best 25 points. The 8 assists is also a career mark, and the highest for a Viking this season.  Cartwright ended the night with 19 points as four Vikings found their way to double-figures. Dylan LeBrun and Michael Schaefer, whom both had key second-half three-point plays, finished with 13 points each. 

Augustana once again controlled the glass, finishing +11 (37-26) on the boards. The Vikings outscored SMSU 15-6 in second-chance points as Augustana moves to 10-1 when out-rebounding their opponent. 

Although the Mustangs jumped out to an early lead in the first half, the Vikings responded minutes later. Trailing by one, Tayton Vincent gave Augustana their first lead of the night at 19-18 with a jumper in the paint. 

The first half featured three lead changes, but SMSU maintained an early lead. Plitzuweit, who had 14 in the first, scored five straight and made a 38-33 deficit late in the first. By the intermission, Augustana trailed 42-38
 
Augustana started strong in their first possession of the second half. With time winding down in the shot clock, LeBrun buried a three from the left wing and made it just a one-point game, 42-41.

With the Vikings trailing by two, 53-51, LeBrun hit a floater to tie the game and then Schaefer hit a baseline jumper for the Vikings first lead of the second half.  

The good, contained defense kept SMSU off the scoreboard, and the offense delivered on the other end. Plitzuweit knocked down back-to-back buckets as they Vikings mounted an 11-0 run to take their biggest lead of the night, 60-53.

Midway through the second, Plitzuweit hit a new career-high at 21 points. 

Cartwright answered an SMSU run with his first jumper of the second half and a 64-60 lead, and the sophomore continued to heat up from there. He hit another pair of jumpers and pushed the Vikings lead to 74-68 with less than six minutes left. 

The games final minutes saw Augustana push their lead to the biggest of the night at to 80-72, including a late three by Cartwright to put the game on ice. 

Ryan Bruggeman, the leading scorer in the NSIC, finished with 21 points on 19 shots.

Augustana will have a short turn around as they get set to face the University of Sioux Falls, Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Stewart Center.