SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Four games into the season and it is time for NSIC action for the Augustana men's basketball team. The Vikings will sidestep nonconference play on Tuesday to travel to Wayne, America, to face Wayne State at 7:30 p.m. Augustana then steps back into nonconference play on Friday and Saturday hosting Doane and Grand View.
 
Complete action can be followed at GoAugie.com/Live and on the GoAugie App, presented by CellOnly. The app can be downloaded in the app store or on Google Play.
 
The Games
The Vikings will have the second game of the doubleheader on Tuesday and Saturday while it is a lone, single game on Friday. Augustana and Wayne State tip-off at 7:30 p.m. while the Vikings host Doane at 7 p.m. on Friday. Saturday's doubleheader will have Augustana playing at 5 p.m.
 
The Wildcats
Wayne State enters Tuesday's game 2-2 and is the defending NSIC South Division Champions. After dropping the first two games of the season, the Wildcats have bounced back with wins against Bellevue and Simpson. They average 73.5 points per game with a scoring margin of +7.0. The Wildcats were picked to win the NSIC South and finish second overall in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
Junior forward, and the 2021 NSIC South Division Player of the Year, Jordan Janssen has led the way for the Wildcats so far this season. He's averaging 15.8 points per game, while also averaging a team-best 6.5 rebounds. Freshman Sean Stokes has been hot from three to start his career, coming off the bench in all four games. He has averaged 10.3 points while shooting 52.9% from beyond the arc.
 
The Wildcat defense has given up only 66.5 points per game, with a scoring margin of 7.0. They've forced 17 turnovers per game with 42 steals and 14 blocks.
 
The Tigers
The Doane Tigers enter the week at 7-3 and are winners of two of their last three. They come off a 67-53 loss at Northwestern. Averaging 77.7 points per game, the Tigers are shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 36.4% from beyond the arc.
 
Senior Anthony Laravie leads the Tigers on the offensive side with 15.2 points per game on 45.9 percent shooting. He averages 2.4 3-point field goals per game while shooting 36.4 percent from deep. Alec Oberhauser leads the Tigers rebounding with 8.2 boards per game and also leads the team with 3.6 assists per outing.
 
The Tiger defense allows only 60.2 points per game on 38.8 percent shooting. They average 7.7 steals and 4.0 blocks per game.
 
The (Grand View) Vikings
The Grand View Vikings enter the week holding a 5-2 record. Their two losses come at the hands of Viterbo and Baptist Bible. The Vikings average 85.4 points per game on 45.1 percent shooting.
 
Ryan Miller and Dallas Bailey have led the way for Grand View this season. They average 19.3 and 14.7 points per game, respectively. Bailey leads the way for the Vikings on the boards with 11.6 rebounds per game while Miller leads the Vikings with 5.1 assists per game.
 
The Viking defense gives up 73.7 points per game on 41.4 percent shooting. They average 7.9 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.
 
The (Augustana) Vikings
Augustana is 4-0 in 2021-22 after claiming victories over 2021 MIAA Tournament Champion Washburn, the team picked third in the RMAC, Black Hills State, NCAA Tournament foe Southern Arkansas and South Dakota Mines.
 
The Vikings are led in scoring by Isaac Fink and his 20 points per game. Tyler Riemersma is just behind and 19 points per outing while averaging a double-double with 11.5 rebounds per contest. Both Fink and Riemermsa are shooting the ball at an extremely high clip, 54.5 percent from the field.
 
As a team, the Vikings are averaging 75.3 points per game while holding opponents are mustering just 61.3 points against AU. The offensive efficiency from the Vikings has them scoring at a 43.9 percent clip, and is aided by the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the NSIC with 14.3 offensive boards per game.
 
One Last Thing
Augustana has opened the season 4-0 for the first time since the 2014-15 season. With that, all four wins have come against NCAA Division II competition. Augustana has never started a season 4-0 against NCAA Division II competition.