SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana men's basketball team looks to snap a three-game skid, first against MSU Moorhead on Friday before a Saturday matchup against Minnesota Crookston. Tip-off against the Dragons is set for 5:30 p.m. on Friday before a 1:30 p.m., matchup on Saturday against the Golden Eagles.
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 Dragons
MSU Moorhead was picked to finish seventh in the NSIC poll and are 6-4 in league play after splitting with Concordia-St. Paul and Winona State last weekend. After starting the season off the bench, Dominic Gooden has been a revelation. Gooden leads the team with 14.8 points per game in just 23.6 minutes per game. Isa El-Amin adds 12.8 points per game and Sam Hastreiter, the brother of Augustana F Jack Hastreiter, scored 11.9 points and grabs a team-high 4.8 rebounds per game.
About the Golden Eagles
Minnesota Crookston was picked to finish 15th in the NSIC poll and are 1-9 in league play after splitting with Winona State and Concordia-St. Paul. Donez Lindsey is one of three players averaging at least 13 points per game, slotting in at 13.9 while knocking down a team-best 34 3-pointers and dishign a team-high 50 assists. Alijah Washington adds 13.3 points per game while Kazadi Mukoma Jr., averages 13.1 points per game.
Last Time Out
The Augustana men's basketball team clawed back from 23 down but couldn't overcome an early deficit in a 91-88 loss to Northern State on Saturday afternoon at the Elmen Center.
Tameron Ferguson scored 24 points and added seven assists and five rebounds to lead the way while Brady Helgren added a career-high 22 points and nine rebounds on 10 of 14 shooting. Sam Rensch poured in 19 points, Tanner Te Slaa added 12 and Amari Westmoreland-Vendiola had 10 points of his own to round out five in double-figures.
About the Vikings
Augustana has opened the season 8-7 overall and 6-4 in the NSIC. They did that after playing a tough non-conference slate, with two of their three losses coming by four points or less.
Tameron Ferguson has been one of the best players in the country in his sophomore season, leading the team with 20.0 points and 6.5 assists per game while shooting 53.9 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from deep. He has tallied at least 20 points in 10 of his last 13 games, including a 28-point performance against Sioux Falls on Dec. 6. He is also the first Viking to record multiple point-assist double doubles since Jordan Spencer in 2017-18 and is the only player in the country averaging 20 points and 6.5 assists per game.
After missing all of last season, Caden Hinker has been a dominant force in his return. The redshirt junior has recorded double-doubles in six of his last 12 games while leading the team with 7.4 rebounds per game, including an NSIC-best 6.5 defensive rebounds per game. He's second on the team with 15.7 points per game and scored a career-high 26 points against Winona State on Nov. 18 while grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds against Northwest Missouri State on Nov. 15.
Senior Sam Rensch is third on the team with 13.3 points per game. He is second on the team with 2.3 assists per game and has grabbed 4.0 rebounds per contest. He has recorded multiple steals in his last nine of 15 contests and scored a season-high 24 points against Sioux Falls in 46 minutes on Dec. 6. He also leads the team with 1.9 steals per game.
Bennett Fried had one of the best games of his young career on Dec. 11, tying a career high with 20 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 9 of 13 from the field against St. Cloud State. He has scored in double-figures seven times in his last 11 games, including all four times he got at least nine shots from the field. He's fifth on the team with 9.1 points per game while grabbing 4.0 rebounds per game.
Earning his first two starts of the season last weekend, Brady Helgren took full advantage of his opportunity. The junior scored a career-high 21 points on 8 of 11 shooting against Jamestown on Jan. 9 and followed that on Saturday, reseting his career-high with 22 points on 10 of 14 shooting while tying a career-high with nine rebounds.
Series History
Augustana and MSU Moorhead will match up for the 35th time all-time with the Vikings leading 18-16. The Dragons earned a victory in the NSIC Quarterfinals last season and have won five of the last six in the series. The Vikings are 22-4 all-time against Minnesota Crookston, including a three-game winning streak and three straight home wins. The Golden Eagles won their matchup last season, snapping a five-game Viking win streak. AU is 9-3 all-time in Crookston.
Ferguson Earns Third NSIC South Player of the Week Honor
For the third time in four weeks, sophomore Tameron Ferguson has been named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week. Ferguson helped Augustana to another perfect week that included home wins over Winona State and Concordia-St. Paul.
He averaged an NSIC-best 8.0 assists to go with 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals while shooting 52.0 percent from the field, connecting on 13 of 25 attempts. He opened the weekend with 16 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in a win over WSU and added 22 points, five assists and two steals in a victory over CSP on Saturday.
Ferguson Named South Player of the Week For Second Consecutive Week
For the second time in as many weeks, sophomore Tameron Ferguson has been named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week. Ferguson helped Augustana to another perfect week, highlighted by a double overtime thriller against Sioux Falls.
Ferguson averaged an NSIC-best 27.0 points and 9.0 assists to go with 3.5 rebounds in a pair of wins while shooting an NSIC-best 71.9 percent from the field, connecting on 23 of 32 attempts. He opened the weekend with 26 points and 11 assists on 12 of 13 shooting in a 97-75 win over SMSU and added 28 points, seven assists and two steals in a double overtime road win against Sioux Falls
Ferguson Tabbed South Player of the Week
For the first time in his career, sophomore Tameron Ferguson has been named the NSIC South Division Player of the Week. Ferguson helped Augustana to a perfect week, highlighted by an NSIC-opening win over Wayne State on Nov. 26.
Ferguson averaged 18.0 points, 8.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds in a pair of wins on 56.0 percent shooting from the field. He had 20 points and 11 assists in a 94-86 win at Wayne State, becoming the first Viking to record a double double with points and assists since 2018. He followed the week with 16 points, six assists and four boards in a 90-63 win over Bellevue
Back Home
The Augustana men's and women's basketball programs have announced their 2025-26 schedules with the two teams combining to play 29 home contests including 11 doubleheader dates, all at the Elmen Center. The teams will return to campus at Augustana University for all home games in conjunction with the Elmen Center Revitalization Project.
Roster Breakdown
Augustana's roster features three seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, two redshirt freshmen and four true freshmen.
