> Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana College, ranked No. 2 in the country, held off a late Southwest Minnesota State charge to earn a 92-80 victory on Friday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball at the Sioux Falls Arena.
 
The victory was the 17th straight for the Vikings, who improve to 24-1 overall, 18-1 NSIC. The 24 victories ties a school record for victories in a single-season.
 
SMSU had its three-game winning streak snapped and falls to 12-13 overall, 8-11 NSIC.
 
SMSU cut a double-digit second half Augustana lead to 84-80 with 1:34 left in the game, but the Vikings closed the game with eight straight points to seal the victory.
 
MJ Delmore scored a career-high 19 points for the Mustangs, connecting on 7 of 12 field goals, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Mitch Weg added 18 points on 9 of 12 shooting and a team-high eight rebounds. Travis Meinders (11) and Cole Martin (10) both reached double figures in scoring. Delmore also dished out a team-high five assists.
 
The Mustangs closed the night shooting 52 percent (33 of 63) from the field, but were just 10 of 27 from 3-point range and 4 of 6 from the free throw line. The Vikings shot 52 percent (33 of 63) from the field and made 11 of 24 3-pointers, while making 15 of 22 from the free throw.
 
Daniel Jansen led five Vikings players in double figures with 21 points and eight rebounds.
 
Nate Huot connected on a 3-pointer to stake SMSU to an early 9-8 lead, but Augustana reeled off eight straight points to build a 16-9 lead with 13 minutes and 26 seconds remaining.
 
SMSU quickly came back with a pair of Weg field goals and a 3-pointer by Martin to trim the deficit to 19-16 with 12 minutes left in the half.
 
Augustana would later build a pair of seven-point leads, including 31-24 at the 4:50 mark, but Delmore scored eight straight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, to cut the deficit to 33-32.
 
The Vikings would have their own answer and closed the half on a 10-2 run in the final 3:20 to build a 43-34 halftime lead.
 
SMSU shot 48 percent in the first half and held a 19-17 rebounds advantage, but Augustana took advantage of eight SMSU turnovers to hold a 10-0 scoring edge in points off of turnovers.
 
Augustana quickly pushed the lead to double digits early in the second half, but again Delmore came up big for SMSU drilling a pair of 3-pointers to make the score 53-47 with 16:30 remaining, but the Vikings countered with a 9-2 spurt to push the lead to 62-49.
 
The Vikings held a 64-51 lead, but the Mustangs wouldn't go away and following a Bartlett field goal to cap a mini 8-2 run, SMSU cut the deficit to 71-64 with 9:44 left in the game.
 
Augustana would later extend the lead to 77-64 at the 8:13 mark, but a 10-4 run capped by a Meinders three-point play made the score 81-75 with 4:10 remaining.
 
Trailing 84-75 with 3:30 left, SMSU made one final run with solid defense. Weg connected on a field goal to make the score 84-77 and with 1:34 remaining Meinders made a pair of free throws to cap a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 84-80. That was as close as the Mustangs would come as the Vikings made a field goal and then made six free throws in the final 1:13 to close out the win.  
 
Southwest Minnesota State wraps-up its four-game road trip tomorrow night taking on Wayne State College (6-19, 3-16 NSIC) starting at 6 p.m. WSC defeated Sioux Falls on Friday night.