SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana men's basketball team opens postseason action Wednesday at Bemidji State. The No. 5 seed Vikings are at the No. 4 seed Beavers with a 6 p.m. tipoff to open the NSIC Tournament with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals Saturday. For a full bracket, click here.
 
Complete action can be followed at GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app. The app can be downloaded in the app store or Google Play. For the best seats, head to GoAugie.com/Tickets to purchase tickets inside the Sanford Pentagon.
 
About the Beavers
Bemidji State hosts a home playoff game for the first time since 2013-14 with its 18-10 overall record and 13-9 mark in the NSIC. The north division's fourth seed, Bemidji State has tallied its most wins in a season since totaling 22 in 2011-12, a squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
 
John Sutherland is the team's leader, a three-time NSIC North Division Player of the Week while averaging 19.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He hardly misses, shooting 58.4 percent from the field. Joining him in double-figure scoring is Mohamed Kone and his 14.5 points along with Dalton Albrecht and his 14.4 points.
 
About the Vikings
Augustana is the No. 5 seed from the NSIC South Division holding a 15-13 overall record while finishing the NSIC season at 11-11. Coming on strong over the final 12 games, Isaac Fink is the team's leading scorer and rebounder at 14.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per outing. He has scored in double figures in seven-straight games while eclipsing 20 or more points four times. Also, averaging double-figure points are Ryan Miller (13.4), Jadan Graves (12.2) and Akoi Akoi (10.6).
 
Despite the one-point loss to end the regular season, Augustana is one of the hottest teams in the NSIC having won six of its last eight games. Augustana's last three losses have all come by five points or less.
 
Previously This Season
The Beavers and Vikings tangled on Jan. 21 inside the Elmen Center on the Augustana campus, a game that Bemidji State won, 89-85. It was a frustrating evening for the Vikings as Bemidji State, who entered the game shooting 37 percent from 3-point land with 8.7 makes from deep per game went off for 16-made 3-point field goals. The percentage? 53.3 percent. Isaac Fink scored 25 points while Ryan Miller added 21. BSU was led by a double-double from John Sutherland while Brayden Williams went 5-of-8 from deep.
 
One Last Thing
A win by Augustana places the Vikings into the quarterfinals of the NSIC Tournament, which takes place on the Vikings' homecourt inside the Sanford Pentagon. That contest would take place Saturday at 7 p.m. against the NSIC South Division No. 1 seed, Wayne State. 
 
--GoAugie.com--