SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana men's basketball opens the 2021-22 season Friday and Saturday at the Central Region Challenge in Kansas City, Missouri. The Vikings' first game of the season is against Southern Arkansas on Friday and against No. 11 Washburn on Saturday.
 
There will not be a live stream of the games and there will not be audio on Friday. Saturday's game will have audio found on GoAugie.com courtesy of Washburn athletics. Both contests will have live stats available.
 
The Vikings
Augustana opens 2021-22 after a 9-7 record in the shortened 2021 campaign. Tyler Riemersma and Adam Dykman each earned All-NSIC South Division honors. Riemersma averaged a double-double of 13.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, his second-straight season of averaging a double-double. Dykman tallied 12.7 points per game in 16 starts.
 
On a 1,000-point watch, Augustana has three players that should reach the threshold in 2021-22. Dylan LeBrun enters the season having scored 793 points while Dykman is at 790 and Riemersma at 779.
 
The Vikings were picked fourth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll after averaging 80.6 points per game last season. AU defended to the tune of 75.3 points given up per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the field. On the offensive boards, Tyler Riemersma was a force, ranking second in the NSIC with 3.4 per game, giving Augustana plenty of second chances.
 
Scouting the Muleriders
The Muleriders ended their season in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season after a 15-6 record on the season. They lost in the GAC Championship to Arkansas-Monticello.
 
Returning for the Muleriders is their top scorer, Aaron Lucas, he led the GAC last season in scoring with 360 total points. Brothers Devante and Jalen Brooks return for the Muleriders as the second and third scorers from last season, they return over 500 points scored.
 
The Mulerider defense was third in the GAC last season with only 67.8 points given up per game. They also led the conference in steals, taking the ball away 164 times.
 
Scouting the ICHABODS
The reigning MIAA champions return this season after a 20-7 record and a second-round exit last season at the hands of MIAA runner-up Northwest Missouri State.
 
The Ichabods return their top three scorers, Tyler Geiman scored the fifth-most points in the nation last season with 547 points. Jalen Lewis and Tyler Nelson also return for the Ichabods with over 650 points combined, all three players were top 20 in the MIAA in scoring.
 
The Ichabod defense ranked third in the MIAA last season with only 72.1 points given up per game. They ranked sixth in the nation last season with 187 steals, and they get to the boards often, with 911 total rebounds last season, they ranked fifth in the nation.
 
Up Next
Following the season-opening challenge, the Vikings go straight into a second challenge, the East/West Challenge pitting four of the state's five NCAA Division II schools against each other. Augustana travels to Aberdeen to face Black Hills State on Friday, Nov. 19 and South Dakota Mines on Saturday, Nov. 20.