Box Score

WHEATON, Ill. – Augustana survived a wild 103-101 overtime shootout at Wheaton Saturday, clinching its second straight outright CCIW title. The top-ranked Vikings improved to 24-1—setting a new school record for regular season wins—and 13-1 in the conference—the program's best league mark since going 15-1 in 1980-81. The host Thunder, who lost by just four points at Carver Center last month, fell to 5-20 on the season and 1-13 in the CCIW.
 
Although Augustana led for much of the game, there were 14 lead changes and nine ties. The Vikings' biggest lead came early at 23-13 and Wheaton's largest advantage was 81-79 with four and a half minutes left in regulation. The Thunder scored the final five points of the second half. Ricky Samuelson's three-pointer from the left side with 6.1 seconds left tied the contest at 91-all. Hunter Hill's (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) desperation three attempt at the buzzer was long.
 
Senior Griffin Pils (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) hit two free throws 22 seconds into the extra session to put Augustana ahead for good. The Vikings had to scratch and claw the rest of the way, though.
 
Wheaton would trim the deficit to a single point on five separate occasions in the final 3:35. The only time the margin reached more than one possession (102-98) was on a Pils three-pointer with 53 seconds left. However, Jonathan Berntsen's conventional three-point play pulled the Thunder to within 102-101 with 45 seconds remaining. After a stop, Berntsen had a chance to give his team the lead, but his jumper from the top of the key was off the mark. Pils stripped the rebound away from Murad Dillard and was fouled with five seconds left. He hit one of two free throws—his 10th point of the overtime—and Berntsen's desperation heave at the buzzer was no good.
 
Pils finished with a career-high 27 points, hitting nine of 12 field goal attempts, including three of four from beyond the arc. He also had four assists with just one turnover in 32 minutes. His steal of a Wheaton inbounds pass and layup with 1:38 remaining in regulation was one of the game's biggest plays.
 
Senior Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) scored 21 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists. Senior Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) and freshman Pierson Wofford (Springfield Lutheran HS, Springfield, Ill.) each provided a huge lift off the Viking bench. Johnson finished with 13 points, four rebounds and two steals and Wofford scored a career-high 12 points, to go along with four rebounds and a pair of assists. Hill was in double figures with 10 points and delivered a team-high five assists.
 
The Thunder scorched the nets all night, hitting .583 (35-60) from the field .600 (9-15) from three-point range and .957 (22-23) from the free throw line. Augustana hit 37 of 67 (.552) from the field, but just five of 14 (.357) threes and 24 of 35 (.686) from the foul line. Rebounds were even at 30 and Wheaton committed 15 turnovers, to a dozen for the Vikings.
 
In addition, Ryan and Johnson each played their 112th game in a Viking uniform Saturday, breaking Bruce Hamming's school record set from 1971-75. They've now each played in 90 wins at Augustana—the second-highest total in school history and just four away from Hamming's school record.
 
Next up for the Vikings is the CCIW Tournament, which they will host at Carver Center on Friday and Saturday, February 26-27. Coach Grey Giovanine's squad will take on Illinois Wesleyan in the second semifinal, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The first semifinal will pit North Central against Elmhurst at 5:00 p.m. Friday's winners will meet Saturday at 7:00 p.m. for the conference tournament title.