Box Score
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Augustana College erased an 11-point first half deficit and used poor free throw shooting by No. 19 Southwest Minnesota State to earn a 78-74 non-conference victory at the NSIC Holiday HoopsFest in Sioux Falls, S.D. The loss is the first of the season for SMSU and drops its record to 4-1, while Augustana improves to 3-1.
SMSU shot a season-low 40.9 percent (9 of 22) from the free throw line and was outrebounded for the first time this season 41-38.
SMSU held a 37-26 lead with just over three minutes left in the half before AC?rallied to cut the lead to 40-36 at halftime. The Vikings continued its fine play in the early stages of the second half and took its first lead of the half at 44-42 with 16:37 left in the half. After a pair of free throws by SMSU's Ross DeMasi at 16:25 tied the score at 44, Augustana regained the lead and held a 50-49 lead with 14 minutes left before going on a 12-0 run over the next three minutes to build a 62-49 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the game.
SMSU answered back with an 8-0 run to cut the AC lead to 62-57 with 9:25 remaining but the Vikings rallied with a 4-0 run to push the lead to 66-57.
SMSU wouldn't quit in the final minute trimming the lead to 74-70 with under 30 seconds left and had the ball but Ryan Krome missed a three-pointer and the Vikings came away with the rebound and made two free throws to make the score 76-70. DeAnthony Zanders scored for SMSU on its next possession and then forced a turnover on the inbounds pass and scored again to cut the lead to 76-74 with just over five seconds left. SMSU nearly stole another inbounds pass on the next AC?throw in but the Mustangs' Andrew Peschong and Krome collided into each other and the Vikings kept possession with 3.5 seconds left. The Vikings' Elliott Thomas then sealed the victory with two free throws to give Augustana its third victory in a row.
The Mustangs led for much of the first half taking its first lead on a Kevin Andrews jumper with 15:44 left in the half to take a 7-6 lead. SMSU would extend the lead to 20-13 on an Andrew Peschong three-pointer with 10:47 on the clock before pushing its lead to 37-26, its largest of the half, on a Peschong field goal with 3:36 left in the half. The Vikings though would close the half on a 10-3 run to trim the Mustang lead to 40-36 at halftime.
Peschong scored a career-high 17 points to lead the Mustang offense connecting on 7 of 12 shots. Kevin Andrews added 15 points hitting on a team-high three three-pointers. Ross DeMasi rounded out the SMSU double figure scoring with 10 points and six rebounds. Taylor Huseby scored five points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
SMSU will conclude the NSIC HoopsFest on Sunday afternoon with a 3 p.m. non-conference game versus Upper Iowa University at the Elmen Center on the campus of Augustana College.
