SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana men's basketball team used a hot-shooting night to score an 84-74 win over Southwest Minnesota State Sunday inside the Sanford Pentagon.
 
Led by 26 points from Michael Schaefer, the Vikings shot 52.7 percent from the field and connected on 14-of-29 of shots from beyond the 3-point arc.
 
Augustana, now 6-5 overall and 4-5 in the NSIC, never trailed in the contest and held a lead as large as 20 points in the second half. Leading 6-5 in the opening minutes, Augustana embarked on a 10-0 run to lift a 16-5 lead with 15:35 to go in the first half.
 
Southwest, 2-5 overall and 0-3 in the NSIC, was able to trim into the Vikings' lead and pulled within three points at 28-25. However, Augustana staved off the Southwest Minnesota attack and rebuilt its lead to 15 points on a Dylan LeBrun fast-break layup with 2:27 remaining in the opening half showing Augustana leading 44-29.
 
The Vikings then built their lead to 20 points in the second half at a 69-49 score with 10:29 remaining. The Mustangs were not able to complete a comeback, only nearing as close as 10 points, the final margin, in the 84-74 final score.
 
After Schaefer's 26 points, Dykman tallied 16 points and two thunderous dunks while Matt Todd added 11 points and tied a career-high with 7 assists. LeBrun totaled 10 points and tied a career-best six assists.
 
Kaden Evans led SMSU with 19 points after making 6-of-9 3-point field goals.
 
Augustana closes out the regular season by not having to leave Sioux Falls, first playing at Sioux Falls next weekend before welcoming Wayne State to the Sanford Pentagon on Feb. 19-20. The contests at USF are slated for 6 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday.