ST. CLOUD STATE - The Augustana men's basketball team (5-4, 3-1 NSIC) dropped its first conference game of the season, losing 70-61 to St. Cloud State (6-3, 4-0) on Thursday night in Halenbeck Hall.

Bennett Fried scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season, tying a career-high in both. Caden Hinker added 18 points and five rebounds while Tameron Ferguson went for nine points, 10 assists, six rebounds and four steals. 

Hinker opened the scoring before a five possession stretch that saw three score changes and a tie as the Vikings exchanged layups for 3-pointers to fall behind 9-6. The Huskies added a layup two possessions later and, after a two-minute scoreless stretch, Amari Westmoreland-Vendiola knocked down a 3-pointer at 14:27 to bring the Vikings within 11-9. 

Following a dunk from the Huskies, Fried made a layup and Sam Rensch knocked down a 3-pointer to give AU the lead back at 14-13 at 13:11. SCSU reclaimed the lead with a 7-2 run that Rensch ended with a jumper with 9:18 to go in the half. 

Neither team could get much going offensively from there as SCSU outscored AU 5-4 for nearly six minutes of gametime to grow their lead to 25-22. Following a SCSU and-one, Hinker hit from deep and the Vikings followed a Husky jumper with seven straight points to take a lead late, but SCSU knocked down a 3-pointer to close the first half scoring and take a 33-32 lead into the locker room. 

The Vikings scored six of the first eight points to open the second half to take a 38-35 lead with 17:46 to play. Over the next 11 minutes of play, the Huskies outscored the Vikings 24-6 to take a 59-44 lead at the 6:47 to mark. 

Hinker ended the run with a 3-pointer and scored nine points in an 11-3 AU run to help pull the Vikings within 62-55 with 3:52 to go. The Huskies scored eight of the final 14 points to bring the game to its final score. 

The Vikings look to get back on track Saturday night, traveling to Mankato for a 5:30 p.m., tip against Minnesota State.