SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana men's basketball fought off a hot second half of shooting and late rally from the visitors to take the 67-64 victory over Bemidji State at the Sanford Pentagon on Friday night.
 
The win moves Augustana to 11-15 overall and 8-12 in the NSIC while the Beavers drop to 10-15 and 7-12.
 
Sam Rensch led the scoring for the Vikings with 17 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, including 11 in the first half. Tameron Ferguson followed close behind with 16 points, five assists and three steals as Akoi Akoi added in 14 points.
 
AU shot 46.4% from the floor and held the rebounding advantage 35-32.
 
Augustana opened with a 7-0 lead off a 3-pointer from Tanner Te Slaa and a layup and free throws from Ferguson. Another jumper from Ferguson pushed it to 9-3 before both teams locked into an all-out defensive battle and were each held scoreless for the next three minutes of action.
 
Bemidji State kept it close and even took control at 14-12 with 9:52 remaining in the half, but the Vikings always responded. AU regained the lead with five straight points, growing to 22-17 off a triple from Rensch. The Beavers threatened with a short bout of back-and-forth, but Augustana immediately shut that down with a 15-3 run over the next five minutes of play.
 
Akoi and Rensch each scored five in the streak—with Ferguson and Kelton Coleman also joining in—while the home team went 6-of-8 from the floor. BSU hit the final layup of the half, but Augustana held the 39-26 lead heading into the locker room.
 
Five early points from Akoi opened up a 17-point lead for the Vikings at the 17:21 mark and, following a scoreless three minutes, soon translated to a 53-36 off a triple from Te Slaa. Bemidji State then rallied and struck back with a 19-3 run over the next five minutes to force a one-point game at 56-55.
 
Rensch sunk three of four free throws to push back at 59-55 with 4:59 remaining, but the Beavers again responded for a 61-60 game. Despite buckets from the Vikings, the one-point difference would linger throughout the final four minutes of action.
 
BSU free throws with 52 seconds remaining created a 65-64 game until Rensch hit a jumper with 26 seconds left in the game, a bucket that would secure the 67-64 victory for AU.
 
Augustana will return to action on Saturday afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. tip schedule against St. Cloud State on Senior Day.