Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana used a pair of big first half runs to build a double-digit first half and lead and go on to earn an 84-74 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball on Sunday afternoon inside the Sanford Pentagon.
 
The two teams were scheduled to play a pair of games this weekend, but Saturday's game was canceled due to COVID protocols. Today's game was the first for SMSU since Jan. 24 and drops to 2-5 overall, 0-3 NSIC South. AU, which has defeated SMSU five straight times, improves to 6-5 overall, 4-5 NSIC South.
 
Kaden Evans led the Mustangs in the losing effort with a career-high 19 points, which included a career-high six 3-pointers. He also recorded a career-high five steals and tied a career-high with six rebounds. Jake Phipps made 7 of 11 field goals and tied a career-high with 18 points for the Mustangs, while teammate Cliff McCray added 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
 
Today was also the first game for three SMSU starters, McCray, Brian Dayman and Sam Schwartz since playing versus Minot State on Jan. 9. Dayman led the Mustangs on Sunday with a game-high eight rebounds and also added six points.
 
Augustana was led by Michael Schaefer's game-high 26 points on 8 of 13 shooting and a perfect 9 of 9 from the free throw line. The Vikings close the game shooting 53 percent (29 of 56) from the field and made 20 of 24 from the free throw line.
 
SMSU finished the day shooting 44 percent (27 of 61) and made 8 of 14 from 3-point range. SMSU, which held a 39-26 rebound advantage, struggled from the foul line making just 12 of 22.
 
AU held a 6-5 lead in the opening minutes of the game before scoring 10 straight points to build a 16-5 advantage just four and a half minutes into the contest.
 
Weston Baker-Magrath stopped the run with a field goal and helped the Mustangs answer with a 14-7 run, capped by an Evans 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 23-19 at the 11:38 mark.
 
SMSU would later trim the deficit to 28-25 following a Phipps lay-up midway through the half, but that was as close as the Mustangs would trail for the remainder of the half.
 
SMSU's Grant Kramer, playing in his first game of the season after being sidelined with an injury, drilled a 3-pointer at the 6:05 mark to cut AU's lead to 34-28. The Vikings then countered with a big 10-1 run over the next three and a half minutes to push the margin to 44-29. The Mustangs ended the half with a Phipps layup and another Evans 3-pointer, his fourth of the half, to cut the deficit to 45-34 at halftime.
 
AU shot 58 percent in the opening half and used a 14-1 advantage in fast-break points in building the lead. SMSU closed the first half shooting 43 percent, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range.
 
Phipps and Evans each hit field goals to start the second half to cut AU's lead to 48-39, but the Vikings answered with a quick 5-0 run to push the lead back to double digits, which they would maintain for the remainder of the game.
 
AU led 69-49 midway through the second half, but SMSU wouldn't go away, as Dayman hit two free throws to spark a 10-1 run, capped by an Evans 3-pointer with 7:51 remaining to make the score 70-59.
 
SMSU made one last push with four minutes remaining as McCray scored seven points in a 9-2 run cut the AU lead to 82-72, but the Mustangs ran out of time as the Vikings made enough plays down the stretch to seal the win.
 
Southwest Minnesota State returns home next weekend for a pair of big games versus Wayne State (7-5, 7-3 NSIC South). Friday's game is slated for a 6 p.m. start inside the R/A Facility. WSC will enter the weekend tied atop the NSIC South Division standings.