SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana Vikings 77-57 Southwest Minnesota State on Friday night inside the Elmen Center. The Vikings fall to 1-10 overall and 0-6 in NSIC action while the Mustangs jump to 10-2, 4-2.

Olivia Hayenga scored 18 points on 7 of 13 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds and adding two steals to lead the charge. Hannah Burg had 16 points on 8 of 13 and Paige Grant recorded three steals.

Augustana shot 45.5 percent from the field and outscored the Mustangs in the paint (38-34) and on the fast break (6-3).

The Mustangs opened on a 12-4 run before a Burg jumper and McRae and-one brought the Vikings within a possession with 4:30 left in the first quarter. SMSU closed the quarter almost exactly as it started it, finishing the final 4:14 on an 11-4 run to take a 23-13 lead into the second quarter.

After a 16-2 SMSU run opened the second half, the Vikings started chipping away. Hayenga converted an and-one, Isabella Sanneh made a layup and McRae sunk a 3-pointer to get within 39-23. Hayenga scored the final five Viking points in the half to counter five Mustang points and make it 44-28 at the half. 

The second half opened similar to the first with the Mustangs scorching for a 7-0 run. Hayenga, Paige Grant, Burg and Kaz Parks combined for the next nine points to get AU right back into it at 51-37 with 3:37 remaining in the third quarter.

The final two minutes displayed great shotmaking and four consecutive possessions ended with a made bucket, the Mustangs knocking down two threes and the Vikings hitting a pair of twos to bring the score to 57-41 in favor of the Mustangs into the fourth quarter.

Parks opened the fourth with a layup and ended an 8-2 Mustang run with her first 3-pointer of the night to trail 65-48. After an SMSU layup, Hayenga drilled a 3-pointer and then found Burg for layup to get within 14 with 3:39 left in the game. 10 of the final 14 points went to the Mustangs, bringing the game to its final score. 

Augustana will close its NSIC slate for 2024 on the road, taking on Wayne State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

--GoAugie.com--