Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana overcame a three-point deficit in the final minute Wednesday, rallying for a 73-71 win over Wheaton at Carver Center. The Vikings improved to 6-2 on the year and 1-1 in the CCIW, while the Thunder dropped to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in the league.
 
A steal and layup by Kobe Eichelberger with 1:13 to play put the visitors up 71-68. Following a timeout, Augustana freed up Jacob Johnston (Erie HS, Cordova, Ill.) for a three-pointer from the right wing and the senior hit nothing but the bottom of the net to tie it at 71-all. Johnston then pulled down the rebound on Ricky Samuelson's missed three-point attempt and the Vikings called another timeout with 20 seconds to play.
 
Augustana put the ball in the hands of Nolan Ebel (Regis Jesuit HS, Denver, Colo.) coming out of the timeout and the sophomore drove the lane and dropped in a jumper in traffic with three seconds left to put the Vikings ahead 73-71. After a Wheaton timeout, Aston Francis' desperation three-pointer from just inside half court came up short, allowing the hosts to escape with the win.
 
The Thunder jumped in front 8-0 on three-pointers by Samuelson and Francis and a Francis fast break layup. An A.J. Dollmeyer (Polo HS, Polo, Ill.) jump hook got Augustana on the board and the Vikings began whittling away at the deficit. They drew within one point on a Johnston three-pointer at the 12:31 mark and again on a Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) jumper at 9:28.
 
A pair of Pierson Wofford (Springfield Lutheran HS, Springfield, Ill.) free throws with 9:01 to play before halftime gave the hosts a 20-19 lead, their first of the night. The Augustana advantage eventually reached six (35-29) on a Johnston field goal at 1:36. After the Thunder cut it to 35-34, two Johnston free throws with two seconds left put the Vikings up 37-34 at the break.
 
Augustana opened the second half with an 11-5 run. Dylan Sortillo's (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) conventional three-point play put the Vikings up 48-39 three minutes into the period. With Francis leading the way, Wheaton battled back, eventually tying it at 53 and 56-all before the hosts had another spurt to go up 65-58 with 6:17 to play.
 
The Thunder then scored seven straight, including five by Eichelberger, to tie it at 65-all. Wofford's conventional three-point play with 3:07 left made it 68-65 Augustana, but Wheaton answered with six straight, capped by Eichelberger's steal and layup that preceded the big shots by Johnston and Ebel.
 
Wofford led a balanced Viking attack with 17 points. Johnston added 16, Sortillo 14 and Orange 11. Sortillo led the way on the boards with six rebounds. Ebel and freshman Lucas Simon (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) each dished out four assists. Francis led Wheaton with 25 points, but was held scoreless over the final 11 minutes.
 
Augustana finished the night 26 of 52 (.500) from the field, three of 13 (.231) from beyond the arc and 18 of 24 (.750) at the foul line. The Thunder shot .462 (24-52) from the floor, .400 (8-20) from long range and .714 (15-21) from the free throw line. Wheaton held a 33-30 advantage on the glass, but committed 13 turnovers to nine for the Vikings.
 
Coach Grey Giovanine's club is back at Carver Center on Saturday, December 10, hosting Carthage in a CCIW contest, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.