SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – For the first time in the 2024-25 season, the Augustana men's basketball team will tip-off first when they take on Minot State on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. The game will be the first of 11 remaining regular season games that will feature the men playing before the women. 

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 Beavers
Minot State was picked to finish 10th in the NSIC but have been lights out so far, touting a record of 17-2 overall and 8-2 in the conference. The Beavers currently rank 14th in the country after ranking as high as 4 the previous week. MiSU is also tied for first in the NSIC.

Individually, the Beavers have gotten National Player of the Year-like production from Caleb Van De Griend. The junior from Australia leads the country in double-doubles (14) and field goal percentage (74.9 percent), is second in rebounds per game (13.1) and averages 18.3 points per game. 

Going Streaking
The Vikings have won six games in a row, all in NSIC action, to help boost them in the conference standings. Not only have they been winning, but they've done so in convincing fashion. AU has a 10.5 scoring margin during the streak and are shooting 47.1 percent from the field while holding opponents to 39.5 percent.

Akoi Akoi has averaged 16.2 points per game on 49.3 percent shooting and Tanner Te Slaa has shot 46.4 percent from the field and knocked down 18 3-pointers while scoring 16.0 points per game. Among the reasons for the Viking success is the steadiness of freshman Tameron Ferguson. The St. Cloud, Minnesota native is averaging 12.5 points and 2.5 steals per game and holds a 22/7 assist/turnover ratio. 

About the Vikings
Augustana is 9-8 and riding a six-game win streak after home wins over UMary and Northern State last weekend.

Akoi Akoi led the Vikings to an undefeated weekend, including a career-high 26 points in the win over NSU on Saturday.

Tanner Te Slaa scores 14.2 points and grabs 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 38.7 percent from deep, all team-highs. Akoi Akoi is second on the Vikings with 14.1 points per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the field. He is also second on the team with 2.4 assists per game.

Sam Rensch adds 11.4 points per game and 1.6 steals per game while providing havoc to a defense that forces the third most turnovers in the NSIC.

Tameron Ferguson continues to grow into his own while running the point for the Vikings. Ferguson scored in double figures against both UMary and NSU over the weekend while playing at least 35 minutes and shooting near 50 percent in both. He scored a career-best 25 points while grabbing four rebounds against Concordia-St. Paul on Dec. 14.

The true freshman is fourth on the team with 9.2 points per game and has facilitated well, holding a 47/17 assist/turnover ratio. Although he does not qualify, missing the 3.0 assist/game threshold by four total assists, Ferguson would rank first in the NSIC and 22nd nationally with a 2.76 assist/turnover ratio.

In his first season of action, Bennett Fried has already shown growth. The redshirt freshman is averaging 8.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. In 13 games since entering the starting lineup, Fried is fifth on the team with 9.8 points and leads with 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting at a 59.7 percent clip. 

Trends To Watch
The Vikings are 8-3 when leading at the half this season and won their first game when trailing at the half on Friday against UMary. The defense has propelled AU as they are 9-4 when holding opponents under 50 percent shooting from the field and are 7-1 when holding teams under 70 points. Offensively, the engine runs when the 3-pointers fall. The Vikings are 4-1 on the season when making more 3-pointers than their opponent. 

Series History
Augustana and Minot State will match up for the 12th time all-time with the Vikings holding an 6-5 advantage. AU broke a five game losing sreak with a 77-67 win last January.