Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. –Senior Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) reached 1,000 career points and Grey Giovanine became Augustana's winningest head coach Saturday as the top-ranked Vikings defeated seventh-ranked and defending national champion Wisconsin-Stevens Point 81-58 at Carver Center. Augustana improved to 4-0 on the year, while the Pointers suffered their second setback against three wins.
 
Stevens Point took an early 10-5 lead behind eight Sean McGann points, but a Jacob Johnston (Erie HS, Cordova, Ill.) dunk, a Hunter Hill (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) jumper and a layup by Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) gave the hosts an 11-10 lead that they would never relinquish. Jawan Straughter (Plainfield East HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) added a bucket and Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) scored five straight to complete a 13-0 Viking run that put them up 18-10 seven minutes in.
 
Brett Tauber's basket with 8:31 to play in the half cut the Pointer deficit to five (24-19), but consecutive Brandon Motzel (Carmel HS, Buffalo Grove, Ill.) hoops and one from Griffin Pils (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) pushed the margin back to double digits. It eventually reached 15 on a Hill bucket at the 0:33 mark, but UWSP's Canon O'Heron beat the halftime the buzzer to cut the Augustana lead to 39-26 at the break.
 
McGann scored the first basket of the second half, but the Vikings responded with a field goal by Ryan, two Hill free throws and a Pils trey to go up 46-28 with 17:17 to play. The advantage went over 20 (53-32) for the first time on a Johnson put back at the 15:11 mark.
 
Ryan's two free throws with 6:27 to play gave him an even 1,000 points for his career. He becomes the 23rd Viking to reach that milestone and the first since Rick Harrigan and Jay McAdams-Thornton both did it in 2006.
 
Hill's two freebies with 2:25 remaining gave Augustana its biggest lead of the evening at 79-52. He finished the night with game highs of 20 points, six rebounds and six assists and got plenty of help. Ryan had 16 points and six rebounds and Johnson added 13 and five, respectively. McGann led Stevens Point with 18 points and five boards.
 
For the game, the Vikings hit 31 of 54 from the field for a percentage of .574. After dropping just one of eight first-half three-point attempts, they buried seven of 13 in the second half to finish the night eight of 21 (.381). The Pointers shot .434 for the game on 23 of 53 and connected on just four of 19 (.211) from beyond the arc. Augustana won the battle of the boards 31-27 and forced 17 turnovers, while committing just 11.
 
Giovanine's 315th win at Augustana pushed him past Jim Borcherding as the school's winningest head coach. In his 17th season in Rock Island, he's compiled a record of 315-121 (.722). Borcherding went 314-99 (.760) from 1969-84.
 
Next Saturday, December 12, the Vikings travel to St. Louis, Missouri to take on their third straight ranked opponent. 14th-rated Washington University will play host to Augustana in an 8:00 p.m. contest.