Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The senior trio of Hunter Hill (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.), Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) and Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) scored Augustana's final 22 points Saturday as the top-ranked Vikings opened College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play with a 72-68, come-from-behind win over Wheaton at Carver Center. The victory was the 12th in as many outings for Coach Grey Giovanine's club, while Wheaton suffered its eighth loss against four wins.
 
Wheaton spent the early part of the second half building on a lead that was 37-36 at halftime. Joel Smith's three-pointer with 11:33 left gave the Thunder its biggest advantage at 55-45. The margin was still nine when senior Jawan Straughter (Plainfield East HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) hit a driving layup with 10:18 to play to get Augustana to within 57-50. Those would be the last Viking points scored by anyone but Hill, Ryan or Johnson.
 
A conventional three-point play by Ryan trimmed the deficit to 57-53, but the Thunder pushed the lead back to seven twice more—first on another trey by Smith, then after fast break dunk by Johnson, on a field goal by Murad Dillard. Hill sandwiched a pair of hoops around one by Ryan and the Vikings were as close as they'd been since halftime at 64-63 with five minutes remaining.
 
With Augustana trailing 66-64 with 2:46 left, Johnson made a key defensive play, tipping the ball off the leg of Wheaton's Michael Berg and out of bounds. On the ensuing possession, Johnson scored in the lane, with Berg picking up his fifth foul on the play. Johnson's free throw attempt for the lead was long, but the Thunder was called for a lane violation and his second chance was true, putting the Vikings up 67-66 with 2:24 to play.
 
Ryan hit three of four free throws and Hill two of two in the last minute and a half as Augustana held on for the win. After scorching the nets at better than 50 percent for most of the night, Wheaton went without a field goal for the final seven minutes.
 
The first half was a see-saw affair that saw 10 lead changes and five ties. Two free throws by senior Brandon Motzel (Carmel HS, Buffalo Grove, Ill.) gave the Vikings their biggest lead of the night at 33-28, but Dillard had five points in a 9-0 Thunder run that put them up 37-33. Freshman Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) hit a three-pointer from the right corner just before the halftime buzzer to get Augustana within a point.
 
Hill finished with a game-high 21 points. Ryan scored 15 and equaled a career high with 14 rebounds. Johnson, coming off the bench for the first time this season, had 13 points and six rebounds. Orange added seven points and tied Hill for the team high with three assists and Motzel finished with five points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Dillard led four Wheaton players in double figures with 13 points.
 
The Vikings finished the night 23 of 55 (.418) from the field, six of 18 (.333) from three-point range and 20 of 27 (.741) from the foul line. Wheaton was 22 of 47 (.468) from the floor and nine of 19 (.474) from three, but missed its last seven shots, including four from beyond the arc. The Thunder converted 15 of 20 (.750) free throws. Augustana had a substantial edge on the boards (40-23) and committed 12 turnovers, to 11 for Wheaton.
 
On Wednesday, January 6, Augustana travels to Elmhurst, Illinois to face the sixth-ranked Bluejays (11-1, 1-0). Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.