Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana outscored MacMurray 32-9 over the first 10½ minutes of the second half Tuesday, breaking open a close game and cruising to an 86-62 win at Carver Center. The top-ranked Vikings improved to 6-0 heading into a three-game swing through the Pacific Northwest over the next week. The Highlanders dropped to 4-4 on the season.
 
Senior guard Jawan Straughter (Plainfield East HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) sparked Augustana's second-half surge at both ends of the floor. His three-pointer on the opening possession broke a 38-all halftime tie and gave the hosts a lead they wouldn't surrender.  Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) added a bucket, Hunter Hill (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) a conventional three-point play and Griffin Pils (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) a hoop and the Vikings were up by 48-38 with just under 17 minutes to play.
 
MacMurray's Mike Cameron stemmed the tide temporarily with an old-fashioned three point play and a pair of Brent Long free throws cut the lead to 48-43, but Augustana responded with a 22-4 run over the next six minutes.
 
Straughter started the tear with consecutive drives to the hoop and Hill, Brandon Motzel (Carmel HS, Buffalo Grove, Ill.) and Dylan Sortillo (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) also had four points each during the spree. When Ryan finished it off with a field goal at the 9:24 mark, the Vikings led 70-47 and the Highlanders wouldn't get closer than 17 the rest of the way. Freshman Nolan Ebel's (Regis Jesuit HS, Englewood, Colo.) three-point play with 47 seconds left accounted for the final, which turned out to be the largest margin of the night.
 
MacMurray shot 60 percent and outrebounded Augustana 15-10 in a first half that saw eight ties and 12 lead changes. Neither team ever led by more than four points in the period and the Vikings needed a Jacob Johnston (Erie HS, Cordova, Ill.) three-pointer in the final minute to achieve the 38-38 halftime tie.
 
Ryan led a balanced Augustana attack with 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds, all of which came after halftime. Hill added 13 to go along with a game-high six assists and Johnston contributed 10 points off the bench. Straughter had a game-high four steals to go along with nine points on four-of-five shooting. Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) had nine points, four boards and three assists and Pils eight points and four assists. Deavis Johnson led MacMurray with 21 points and five rebounds.
 
The Vikings outshot the Highlanders .586 (34-58) to .429 (21-49) for the game, but .647 (22-34) to .250 (six of 24) in the second half. The hosts dominated the boards to the tune of 25 to nine after halftime to finish with a 35-24 advantage for the evening.
 
On Friday, Augustana will take on Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. central time.