SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana men's basketball remains on the road for two more contests as part of the East/West Challenge. The 2024 iteration of the event takes place in Spearfish, South Dakota, and is hosted by Black Hills State
 
Complete action can be followed on GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app, presented by The Original Pancake House. The app can be downloaded in the App Store or Google Play. 

About the Hardrockers
South Dakota Mines was picked to finish 10th in the RMAC and opened the season 0-2 after losses to Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M International last weekend. Keagen Smith averaged 18 points per game in the second half of 2023-24 and continued to lead the team in scoring in the opening weekend, scoring in double figures in both contests.

About the Yellow Jackets

Black Hills State, the tournament host, was picked to finish fourth in the RMAC and opened the season 2-0 after defeating Texas Tyler and Sul Ross State last weekend. Caelin Hearne was selected as an RMAC Preseason Player to Watch and averaged 15.5 points per game last weekend.

About the Vikings
Augustana opened the season 1-1 after earning a ranked victory over Northwest Missouri State and falling to host Missouri Western at the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic last weekend.

Tanner Te Slaa averaged 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game on the weekend and leads the team in both. In his AU debut on Friday, Te Slaa went for 15 points and 11 rebounds, the first double double of his career.

Sam Rensch made a splash in the first weekend as well. The junior guard scored a career-best 17 points against Northwest Missouri State on 7 of 14 shooting, including 3 of 6 from beyond the arc, and grabbed four steals. He's averaging 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game through a weekend of action.

In his collegiate debut, Tameron Ferguson scored 13 points while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing six assists to help lead the Vikings to victory. Jack Hastreiter was solid off the bench in his AU debut, scoring eight points and tallying three steals in each of the two games last weekend.

Series History
Augustana and South Dakota Mines match up for the 24th time all-time with the Vikings leading 16-7. AU has won 14 of the last 15 meetings. The Vikings are 16-8 against Black Hills State and have won three of the last four.