CROOKSTON, Minn. – A 48-point second half and shooting 57.6 percent from the field for the game propelled Augustana men's basketball to a 93-73 victory over Minnesota Crookston Friday night.
 
The Vikings, 15-10 on the season and 10-9 in the NSIC, took a 45-all halftime score and outscored Minnesota Crookston, 6-19, 3-16, by 20 points in the second half. Caden Kirkman recorded a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, his first career double-double, on 10-of-12 shooting. Isaac Fink joined him in the 20-point scoring with exactly 20 points.
 
The first half was a back-and-forth affair with seven lead changes and five ties but the game was broken open in the early portion of the second half. Kirkman scored on a layup to start the half and a 9-2 run quickly gave AU a 54-47 advantage.
 
Dallas Bear sank a 3-point basket to give Augustana its first double-digit lead of the contest at 62-51 with 14:52 remaining in the game.
 
The Golden Eagles whittled the lead back to four points, but that's when Augustana went on a tear. The Vikings used a 22-2 run to take a 64-58 lead and lift it to 84-60.
 
The run saw Augustana go 9-of-12 from the field with 14 points from the hands of Kirkman. Caden Hinker added four of his 15 points within the run as Fink and Arhman Lewis each had a bucket.
 
The 24-point advantage proved to be the largest of the game as the two squads traded baskets leading to the 93-73 final score.
 
Augustana dominated the paint to the tune of 40 points while also scoring 21 points off turnovers.
 
The win guarantees an 18^th-straight winning season for Augustana, all under head coach Tom Billeter.
 
The Vikings take the trip to Moorhead, Minnesota, for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff with No. 8 MSU Moorhead on Saturday.