Box Score
GALESBURG, Ill.—Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) and Mark Roth (Washington HS, Metamora, Ill.) each scored 15 points Saturday as 24th-ranked Augustana cruised to an 88-50 win over Knox. All 15 Vikings scored in the contest as Coach Grey Giovanine's squad improved to 4-1 on the year. The Prairie Fire fell to 1-3 this season.
 
The hosts took an early 5-4 lead as Augustana missed three of seven free throw attempts in the game's first four and a half minutes. Sophomore Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) converted the Vikings' first field goal with 15:09 remaining in the half and the visitors wouldn't trail again. Ryan's bucket sparked a 12-2 run that put Augustana up 16-7.
 
The lead continued to grow, reaching 32-14 on Roth's second of five three-pointers in the game. Johnson scored the Vikings' final six points of the half. The visitors' 38-21 advantage at intermission could've been bigger had they not missed half of their 20 first-half free throw attempts.
 
Augustana continued to build the lead throughout the second 20 minutes. A pair of Johnson free throws with 13:51 left pushed it over 30 for the first time at 56-25. It reached 40 (75-35) on a three-pointer by freshman Jacob Johnston (Erie HS, Cordova, Ill.) at the 6:22 mark and another Johnston trey with 5:42 left gave the Vikings their biggest lead of the afternoon at 78-37.
 
Johnson (4-4), Ryan (4-4), Roth (5-6) and Johnston (4-4) combined to hit 17 of 18 field goal attempts as Augustana shot .592 from the field. Roth (5-5) and Johnston (3-3) were perfect in eight attempts from beyond the arc and the Vikings hit 11 of 18 (.611) trey attempts as a team. Augustana also converted nine of 12 free throws in the second half to finish 19 of 32 (.593) for the game.
 
Johnston joined Johnson and Roth in double figures, scoring 11 points in just eight minutes of action. Johnson also blocked a pair of shots and tied sophomore Jawan Straughter (Plainfield East HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) with a game-high three steals. Junior Nic Hoepfner (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) and sophomore Brandon Motzel (Carmel Catholic HS, Buffalo Grove, Ill.) each grabbed a game-high five boards to lead the Vikings to 33-22 advantage on the glass.
 
Giovanine's crew is back on the road on Wednesday, December 4, traveling to Dubuque, Iowa to face a 3-2 Loras team that has already knocked off second-ranked Illinois Wesleyan and fifth-ranked Wheaton. Tipoff at the Athletics & Wellness Center is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.