Box Score

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – Deadly second-half shooting, nearly flawless handling of the basketball and command of the backboards all added up to an impressive victory for Augustana on Monday, December 29 at the Just-A-Game Field House in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The second-ranked Vikings defeated Luther 87-59 for their ninth victory of the season against just one defeat.
 
Veteran head coach Grey Giovanine's team took command early, scoring the game's first 13 points en route to a 12-point (38-26) halftime lead. In the opening 13-0 run, five different Augustana players scored.
 
Luther scored the first five points of the second half and did manage to trim the margin to seven (38-31) with 17:51 left in the game. However, a Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) basket, two free throws from Hunter Hill (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) and baskets by Ryan and Jawan Straughter (Plainfield East HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) were all part of an 8-0 run that bumped the lead to 15 (46-31) with 16:03 left.
 
The margin never got below double digits after that outburst and it was over 20 points from the 6:57 mark until the final buzzer.
 
The Vikings were charged with just three turnovers for the entire game and two of those came in the final two minutes of the second half when the lead was over 30 points. In the second half Augustana shot .613 (19-31) from the field and for the game Giovanine's crew held a 39-29 advantage in rebounding.
 
Of the 13 players who saw action, 11 of them scored with Ryan leading the way with 22 points. Ryan was nine of 14 from the field, including a make on a rare three point attempt. He was also three of four from the free throw line and grabbed five rebounds.
 
Hill had 13 points and led the team in assists with six while Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) also chipped in with 13 points and had five rebounds. Mark Roth (Washington HS, Metamora, Ill.) had nine points on three of four from three point range and Brandon Motzel (Carmel Catholic HS, Buffalo Grove, Ill.) led the Vikings in rebounding with nine and also scored six points.
 
Luther was led in scoring by Jake Martin with 11 points and Nathan Meyer was also in double digits with 10.
 
Augustana's defense was smothering in the first half, allowing the Norse to shoot just .333 (7-21) from the floor and .273 (3-11) from three point range.
 
The Vikings will play Coe on Tuesday, December 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Just-A-Game Field House in the final tune-up before beginning College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play on Saturday, January 3 against Carthage in Kenosha, Wisconsin.