Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Augustana moved its winning streak to seven in a row by pulling way to earn an 85-72 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's college basketball on Friday night at the R/A Facility.
 
The Vikings improve to 10-3 overall, 6-1 NSIC, while SMSU had its three-game winning streak snapped to drop to 8-5 overall, 3-4 NSIC. It was SMSU's third home loss in conference play this season.
 
A.J. Plitzuweit led the Vikings with 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Augustana held a 37-26 rebound advantage which led to a 15-6 scoring edge on second chance points. Augustana shot 57 percent in the second half with five 3-pointers and committed just four turnovers in the game in earning its fifth straight win in Marshall.
 
Ryan Bruggeman paced the Mustangs with 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Michael Lee added 18 points with four 3-pointers, while Taylor Schafer chipped in with 12 points on four 3-pointers. Kenny Byers rounded out SMSU's double-figure scorers with 10 points and six rebounds.
 
SMSU finished the game shooting 48 percent (28 of 58), including 11 of 27 from 3-point range.
 
Augustana closed the game shooting 50 percent (33 of 66), while making 9 of 22 from long-range.
 
SMSU jumped out to an early 13-6 lead and maintained the advantage until Tayton Vincent hit a jumper to give AU a 19-18 edge halfway through the half.
 
SMSU would use a 10-2 run to take its largest lead of the game at the 4:37 mark following a 3-pointer and jumper from Bruggeman.
 
AU would trim the deficit to two points late in the half but a late field goal by Bruggeman gave SMSU a 42-38 halftime lead.
 
SMSU came out strong in the second half and held a 51-44 lead following a Kolin Bartlett layup with 16:33 left, but the Vikings rallied with a 16-2 run over the next four-plus minutes to build a 60-53 lead at the 12:13 mark.
 
AU would hold the lead for the next five minutes before Bruggeman hit a jumper to give SMSU its last lead of the game at 68-67 with 7:10 remaining.
 
The Vikings used another run, this time with seven straight points, to regain the lead at 74-68.
 
Bruggeman would hit a jumper with 4:54 remaining to cut the deficit to 76-72, but SMSU wouldn't score for the remainder of the game as AU pulled away to seal the victory.
 
Southwest Minnesota State wrap-ups the weekend on Saturday hosting Wayne State College at 6 p.m.