Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – After seeing a 20-point second half lead whittled to just two Saturday, Augustana went right back to work, outscoring Carthage 21-9 over the final 4:21 to post an 86-70 at Carver Center. The Vikings improved to 7-2 on the year and moved into a share of the CCIW lead at 2-1. The Red Men, also 2-1 in the league, dropped to 5-3 overall this season.
 
After a first half that saw Augustana commit just one turnover and bolt to a 44-26 halftime lead, an A.J. Dollmeyer (Polo HS, Polo, Ill.) field goal 45 seconds into the second half put the hosts on top 46-26. However, over the next 7:36, Carthage would go on a 22-4 run to trim the margin to 50-48 with 11:39 to play. Mike Stevenson scored 11 points, including a pair of three-pointers, in the spurt.
 
A Jacob Johnston (Erie HS, Cordova, Ill.) hoop with 11:21 left ended a string of seven straight Red Men points and put the Vikings up 52-48. After a stop at the defensive end, Johnston grabbed an offensive rebound on a Dylan Sortillo (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) three-point miss and kicked it right back to the junior for a free throw line jumper that put the Vikings up six. A Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) three-pointer completed a 7-0 Augustana run that made the score 57-48.
 
A pair of Nolan Ebel (Regis Jesuit HS, Denver, Colo.) free throws with 7:30 to play extended the margin back to double digits (61-51), but the Red Men made another run, getting to within 65-61 on a Keinan Baltimore three-point play at the 4:21 mark.  A Johnston free throw and a conventional three-point play by Orange pushed the advantage back to eight (69-61) at the four-minute mark and the Vikings maintained a comfortable margin the rest of the way.
 
With both teams in the double bonus, the final four minutes was largely a parade to the free throw lines. Augustana hit its last 11 in a row during that time. The team's three field goals down the stretch were an Orange layup at two dunks by Johnston.
 
After falling behind 5-0 to start the game, the Vikings went on a 12-2 run, getting the final six of those points from sophomore Pierson Wofford (Springfield Lutheran HS, Springfield, Ill.). The margin reached double digits for the first time on a pair of Ebel free throws at the 9:13 mark. Orange's three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer sent Augustana to the locker room with a 44-26 halftime lead.
 
Orange finished the night with a career-high 25 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists and no turnovers. Johnston added 17 points and five rebounds. Ebel had 13 points, four assists and no turnovers and Dollmeyer scored 10 and grabbed eight boards. Wofford contributed nine points and six rebounds off the bench. Baltimore led the Red Men with 17 points.
 
For the game, the Vikings were 27 of 59 (.458) from the field, four of 10 (.400) from beyond the arc and 28 of 32 (.875) from the foul line, including 19 of 19 by Ebel (10-10) and Orange (9-9). Carthage hit .415 (22-53) from the floor, .389 (7-18) from three-point range and .655 (19-29) from the free throw line. Augustana had a 39-33 advantage on the glass and turned it over just eight times to 12 for the Red Men.
 
The Vikings move back into non-conference action to close out the calendar year. First up is a trip to La Crosse, Wisconsin on Tuesday, December 13. After six straight home games, Coach Grey Giovanine's club will take on defending Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Wisconsin-La Crosse at 7:00 p.m.