SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana Vikings opened conference play on the road Saturday afternoon, falling 65-52 on Tuesday night inside the Stewart Center. 

The Vikings fall to 3-2 on the season and 0-1 in the NSIC while the Cougars move to 4-2, 1-0. 

Tanner Te Slaa collected his second career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds while adding a steal and a block. Tameron Ferguson had eight points, all in the second half, while dishing a pair of assists and tallying two steals. Akoi Akoi had eight points of his own and grabbed three rebounds. 

AU shot 33.3 percent from the field and 20.0 percent from deep while USF shot just 39.3 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three. 

The teams shot a combined 6 of 26 through the first eight minutes of action as USF inched ahead 11-5. A pair of Kelton Coleman free throws were the only points from then until the 9:39 mark of the first half. 

After a Jack Hastreiter layup brought the Vikings within 13-9, USF raced ahead with an 8-0 run before the teams traded buckets to give the Cougars a 23-11 lead with 4:20 to go in the half. Te Slaa ignited an 7-0 run with five points of his own to pull within five points, but USF scored nine of the final 13 points to take a 32-22 lead at half. 
 
A fresh half looked to rejuvenate the Vikings as they rode a 9-2 run in the first 2:35 to pull within a possession at 34-31 behind five Ferguson points. The Cougars had a run of their own to follow, scoring the next 10 points to get their lead back to double digits at 44-31 with 15:13 left in the game. 

A Te Slaa layup was followed by four USF points to push their lead to 15. A four-point min-run from Coleman brought the Vikings back within 11 but another Cougar jumper with 8:56 remaining gave them a 50-37. 

The Vikings clawed back, hanging around 8-11 points for the next five minutes, but every AU run came with a Cougar answer as they never allowed the Vikings within closer than seven points the rest of the way. 

The Vikings return to action Nov. 29-30 for the Bill Gross Classic inside the Elmen Center. AU will take on Truman State to open the action at 2 p.m., on Friday.