Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Second-ranked Augustana put seven players in double figures and avenged its only loss of the season Wednesday, downing sixth-ranked Elmhurst 97-84 in front of a packed house at Carver Center. The win also kept Coach Grey Giovanine's Vikings (18-1, 7-1) tied atop the CCIW with North Central. The Bluejays suffered just their third loss in 19 contests and dropped to 6-2 in the league.
 
After the teams were tied at 47-all at the half, Augustana edged ahead early in the second half, twice pushing the margin to six points. Elmhurst whittled away at the deficit, however, and Erik Crittenden's basket with 9:30 to play drew the Bluejays even at 69-all. That marked the seventh tie of the evening.
 
It would be the last, though, as the Vikings answered with a 13-0 spurt—the only substantial run in what was otherwise a back-and-forth game. Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) started it with two free throws after being fouled on a put-back attempt. Brandon Motzel (Carmel HS, Buffalo Grove, Ill.) followed with a three-pointer from the top of the key to make it 74-69 with 8:39 remaining.
 
Johnson hit two more free throws after Bluejay Kyle Wuest was called for a flagrant foul and Jawan Straughter (Plainfield East HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) added a pair after Augustana received possession. A Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) bucket with 6:19 to play pushed the lead to 80-69 and Griffin Pils (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) finished the run with two more freebies with 6:02 to play.
 
Wuest's bucket at the 1:05 mark drew Elmhurst to within 88-81, but that's as close as the Bluejays would get. Freshman Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) scored seven points in the final 55 seconds and Straughter capped the scoring with two free throws with four seconds left.
 
After Elmhurst took an early lead, the Vikings went ahead for the first time (7-6) on a Ryan basket almost three minutes in. They eventually stretched the lead to 17-9—the biggest of the first half—on a Hunter Hill (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) three-pointer at the 14:49 mark. The visitors battled back to take their final lead of the night (38-37) on a conventional three-point play by Eric Leonard, but Motzel answered with one of his own 2:50 before halftime and Augustana wouldn't trail again. A field goal by Leonard sent the teams to intermission tied at 47-all.
 
Ryan led the Vikings with 18 points and also grabbed six rebounds. Straughter added 16 points and four assists. Motzel contributed 14 points, team highs of seven rebounds and three blocks and a pair of steals. Hill also tallied 14, along with a game-high five assists and Johnson had 14 without missing a shot. Pils scored 11 and came away with a game-high four steals and Orange finished with 10 points. Bryant Ackerman had game highs of 19 points and nine rebounds for the Bluejays.
 
Augustana finished the night 28 of 52 (.538) from the field, six of 14 (.429) from beyond the arc and 35 of 42 (.833) from the free throw line. Elmhurst hit 27 of 58 (.466) field goal attempts, eight of 19 (.421) three-point tries and 22 of 26 (.846) free throws. The Bluejays won the battle of the boards 33-29, but committed 17 turnovers to 11 for the Vikings.
 
On Saturday, January 30, Giovanine's squad welcomes North Park to Carver Center for another key CCIW contest. Augustana won the first meeting this year, 79-66 in Chicago, Illinois on January 9. Tipoff Saturday is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.