Box Score NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Augustana, ranked 13^th in NCAA Division III, overcame a sluggish start to defeat North Central 62-50 in a crucial College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin matchup on Wednesday, January 15 in Naperville, Illinois. It was the first victory for the Vikings over the Cardinals since the 2010-11 season, snapping a seven game losing streak in the series.
 
The Vikings trailed 4-0 in the early going but took the lead at 6-4 on a basket by sophomore point guard Hunter Hill (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) with 16:27 left in the first half. They would never trail again although the game was tied twice (15-15 at 9:33 and 23-23 at 4:04) in the first 20 minutes.
 
With the contest deadlocked at 23-23, junior Mark Roth (Washington HS, Metamora, Ill.) buried a jumper at 3:52 to make it 25-23 and the visitors never trailed after that. Augustana ended the half on an 8-2 run with sophomore Brandon Motzel (Carmel HS, Buffalo Grove, Ill.) nailing a pair of free throws with no time left on the clock to put the Vikings ahead 31-25 at halftime.
 
In the second half Augustana exploded with a 9-2 run in the first three-plus minutes to jump in front 40-27 at 17:05 on a layup by Hill. The lead never got out of double digits from that point and when sophomore Danielius Jurgutis (Downers Grove South HS, Darien, Ill.) scored with 6:46 to play, the advantage ballooned to 18 points (62-46).
 
Hill was the lone Viking in double figures with 16 points as he made five of eight from the floor with a three point field goal and hit five of seven from the free throw line. He also added three assists with four rebounds. Roth scored seven points and junior Kevin Schlitter (Maine South HS, Park Ridge, Ill.) and sophomore Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) and Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) all added six points.
 
Augustana won the battle of the boards by a 36-25 margin with Ryan grabbing nine to lead the way and Motzel adding seven. Another key to the game was the fact that the Vikings only turned the ball over 11 times. Augustana only shot .214 (three of 14) from three point range.
 
North Central was led in scoring by Landon Gamble with 19 points.
 
Augustana is now 13-2 overall and 3-1 in the CCIW while North Central is 8-7 and 1-3. The Vikings host North Park on Saturday, January 18 in the Carver Center with a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.