MANKATO, Minn. — The Augustana women's basketball team fell 108-60 on Friday night at the Taylor Center.

The Vikings (4-6, 1-4 NSIC) opened the game with an early basket, but Minnesota State quickly established control behind an aggressive defensive approach that forced turnovers and fueled transition scoring. The Mavericks built a double-digit lead midway through the first quarter and closed the period on a 15-2 run to take a 32-12 advantage.

Augustana looked to settle in during the second quarter as Ava Pautz provided a steady offensive presence in the paint. The junior scored multiple times around the rim and added trips to the free-throw line, while the Vikings found additional offense from Payton Hardy and Greta Dillinger. Despite those efforts, Minnesota State continued to convert turnovers into points and pushed its lead to 57-25 at halftime.

The Mavericks opened the third quarter with another surge, scoring early and often to extend the margin. Augustana briefly found an offensive rhythm as Clarissa Sauer knocked down consecutive three-pointers and Pautz continued to attack inside. However, Minnesota State answered with a flurry of baskets in transition and in the paint, outscoring the Vikings 41-22 in the quarter to put the game out of reach.

Sauer scored nine of her 11 points during the third quarter, while Pautz added seven in the period. Minnesota State entered the final 10 minutes with a 98-47 lead.

The fourth quarter featured extended minutes for Augustana's bench. Miranda Lomax provided a spark offensively, while Addie Hanna capped the scoring with a late basket in the closing seconds. The Vikings continued to compete on the glass and shared the ball, but the Mavericks maintained control through the final horn.

Pautz finished with a team-high 23 points and eight rebounds, shooting efficiently from the floor. Sauer added 11 points, connecting on three shots from beyond the arc, while Lomax chipped in nine points and four assists.

Augustana shot 40 percent from the field but was outscored significantly off turnovers. Minnesota State finished with strong production in transition and in the paint, converting defensive pressure into scoring opportunities throughout the contest.

The Vikings continue NSIC play Saturday afternoon to close out the weekend road trip.