SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana men's basketball team returns to the Elmen Center for the first time in 2025 with a pair of home games against UMary and Northern State. The Vikings will play the Marauders at 7:30 p.m., on Friday before a 5:30 p.m., tip against the Wolves on Saturday.
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 Marauders
UMary was picked to finish 15th in the NSIC Preseason Poll and are 2-6 in conference play. Jeremiah Jones leads the team with 11.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. Ty Rogers adds 11.1 points per game while Kevin McGaskey scores 10.9 points and has a team-high 3.6 assists per game.
About the Wolves
Northern State was picked to finish 13th in the NSIC and have started the season 1-13 overall and 0-8 in conference play. The Wolves are 0-6 at home on the season. James Glenn scores 12.3 points per game while Marcus Burks adds 10.6 points. Both Glenn and Burks average 3.9 assists per game.
About the Vikings
Augustana is 7-8 and riding a four-game win streak after road victories over St. Cloud State and Bemidji State last weekend.
On Friday, Akoi Akoi had 15 points, five blocks and three steals while playing hero in a 71-69 win over the Huskies. Akoi made the game-winning layup with just under 20 seconds to play before a block at the rim on the ensuing possession to ice the win.
The Vikings knocked down 17 of 32 from deep and had five players in double figures to lift them to a 98-66 rout of the Beavers. The Vikings had season-highs in field goal percentage (54.2%) and 3-point percentage (53.1%) while holding massive advantages in points off turnovers (27-2), fast break points (22-0) and points in the paint (42-22).
Tanner Te Slaa scores 14.3 points and grabs 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 39.6 percent from deep, all team-highs. Akoi Akoi is second on the Vikings with 13.3 points per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the field. He is also second on the team with 2.3 assists per game.
Sam Rensch adds 11.6 points per game and 1.7 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 SCSU and BSU over the weekend while playing at least 30 minutes and shooting 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 8.8 points per game and has facilitated well, holding a 42/15 assist/turnover ratio, including a 9-2 ratio on the weekend. Although he does not qualify, missing the 3.0 assist/game threshold by three total assists, Ferguson would rank first in the NSIC and 29th nationally with a 2.8 assist/turnover ratio.
In his first season of action, Bennett Fried has already shown growth. The redshirt freshman is averaging 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. In 11 games since entering the starting lineup, Fried is fourth on the team with 9.6 points and leads with 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting at a 58.1 percent clip.
Series History
Augustana and UMary will match up for the 25th time all-time with the Vikings holding an 18-6 advantage. AU enters on a five game win streak,and have won 13 of the last 14. The Vikings have won 11 of 13 at home and have not lost to the Marauders in Sioux Falls since 2009.
Augustana is 43-41 in 84 previous games against the Wolves all-time and will travel to host the Wolves for the 40th time as the Vikings are 23-17 at home. AU has won three of the last four matchups, including wins of 94-65 and 100-73 last season.
