BOX SCORE

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Shaunteva Ashley recorded a career-high 27 points on 11 of 18 shooting to help Augustana College sink Southwest Minnesota State 96-68 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action on Saturday. The 96 points scored by the Vikings was the most allowed by SMSU all season long.

The win was AC's seventh straight over SMSU and has now taken 14 of the last 15 contests. SMSU is winless at the Elmen Center in its last seven tries with the last win coming during the 2001-02 season (75-67).

Mikayla Saathoff scored a career-high 18 points in the losing effort for SMSU; she finished with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal. Two other Mustangs notched double-digit scoring totals – Ellen Degler poured in 15, while
Alison Nagel finished with 10. Degler and Saathoff combined for 33 points on 13 of 22 shooting.

SMSU shot just 36.7 percent (11 of 30) in the second half after hitting on 13 of 29 first half shots. SMSU finished just 2 of 12 from behind the arc. Augustana forced 23 SMSU turnovers – the second straight game SMSU turned the ball over 23 times.

Rhianna Gullickson recorded her third double-double of the season for the Vikings as she pulled down 10 rebounds to go with her 18 points.

SMSU allowed a season-high 46 points in the first half and Augustana's 50 second half points were the most allowed by SMSU in a half all season long.

Augustana recorded season-highs with 17 steals and 33 fast-break points.

SMSU trailed 57-50 with 12:31 remaining, but Augustana went on a 28-8 run over the course of the next eight minutes to push the lead to 29 with 3:44 remaining – the largest lead of the game. The run was made possible due to SMSU's scoring drought of 3+ minutes.

SMSU (3-15, 1-13 NSIC) will return home next weekend looking to end its three game losing streak versus a couple of NSIC north teams -- Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston.