SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A year older, the Augustana men's basketball team opens its 2019-20 season at the Opening Weekend Conference Challenge slated for Saturday and Sunday. The Vikings face Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday and play host Central Missouri on Sunday.
 
The Games
It is the season-opening weekend for all teams involved in the conference challenge. Saturday's tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. and is the neutral-site game. Sunday, the Vikings and Mules tip at 6 p.m., following UAM and Southwest Minnesota State at 4 p.m.
 
Augustana and Arkansas-Monticello have met just once on the hardwood with the Vikings coming away with a 76-69 victory in the opening round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Central Missouri holds the series lead against the Vikings at 4-2. The last meeting was in 2013 during the Pentagon Classic in Sioux Falls, a contest won by UCM, 75-63.
 
The Weevils
Arkansas-Monticello went 16-13 last season while earning a 12-11 record inside the Great American Conference. When playing on its home floor, UAM tallied an 11-3 record. Tabbed seventh in the 2019-20 GAC Preseason Poll, Arkansas Monticello returns four seniors with the remaining roster comprising of freshmen and transfers. KJ Lesure, one of the four seniors, led the Weevils in scoring last season at 12.5 points per game.
 
The Mules
Central Missouri, picked sixth in the MIAA Preseason Poll, returns All-MIAA selection Daniel Farris and his 9.4 points, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game. The UCM defense ranked second in the MIAA holding opponents to 66.1 points per game. The Mules welcome in six transfers and a freshman to their 2019-20 squad.
 
The Vikings
The Augustana basketball team looks familiar, returning all but one player from the 2018-19 South Division Champion team. The Vikings are a year older but still lean slightly on the younger side with three seniors, six juniors, six sophomores and three freshmen. Back are 14 faces from last year including second-team all-NSIC selection Matt Cartwright. The junior averaged 16 points per game a season ago and ranked in the top-30 nationally with his 42.5 3-point field goal percentage.
 
The Vikings also welcome back Adam Dykman who played in just one game last year before injury but averaged 10.9 points per game as a sophomore in 2017-18. Other top returners include Tyler Riemersma and Michael Schaefer, who each scored 13.7 points per game.
 
One Last Thing
The Vikings have had no problems playing in a neutral-site environment. Since 2014-15, Augustana is 21-6 when playing in neutral-site games. Two of this season's first four games are neutral site between the Opening Weekend Conference Challenge and the East/West Challenge.