Box Score

PELLA, Iowa – A 23-9 run over the final eight minutes of the game helped number three Augustana overcome a sluggish performance and pick up a hard-fought 82-73 non-conference victory over Central of Iowa on Saturday, December 16 in Pella, Iowa. The Vikings won for the fourth straight time since an overtime loss at Wisconsin-Oshkosh two weeks ago on December 2.
 
Central, which beat the Vikings three years ago in Pella, had the visitors on the ropes early. The Dutch jumped out to an 11-2 lead before the game was four minutes old and led the entire first half. With 1:28 left before intermission the margin was 10 points (38-28) after the home team's Kyle Smith drilled a pair of free throws. Augustana scored the final four points of the half as freshman Carson Frakes (Rockridge HS, Illinois City, Ill.) hit a three point field goal at 1:13 and sophomore Donovan Ferguson (Downers Grove South HS, Darien, Ill.) drilled a free throw with :55 remaining. That cut the lead to 38-32 at half.
 
In the second half the Vikings chipped away and three times cut the advantage to a single point only to have Central answer each time. The fourth time proved to be the charm as sophomore Micah Martin's (Iowa City HS, Iowa City, Iowa) dunk with 5:54 left pulled the visitors within a single point once again.
 
This time the opportunity did not go to waste as senior A.J. Dollmeyer (Polo HS, Polo, Ill.) converted on a layup off a feed from junior Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) and Augustana had its first lead of the game (69-68) with 4:59 left.
 
The Vikings actually outscored the hosts 17-5 over the final 6:14 as Central led 68-65 with 6:14 left. That spurt carried head coach Grey Giovanine's team to an 82-73 win.
 
After Augustana got the lead, junior Brett Benning (Dakota HS, Davis, Ill.) scored at 4:24 to make it 71-68 and junior Nolan Ebel (Regis Jesuit HS, Denver, Colo.) drilled a three point field goal at 3:24 to bump the advantage to 74-68. Orange followed with a basket at 2:55 to make it 76-68 and from that point the Vikings were in control.
 
Balanced scoring was the key as Orange led the winners with 18 points and he also had four rebounds, four assists and steal. Senior Dylan Sortillo (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) had 17 points with eight rebounds. Benning scored 12 points and pulled down six boards while Ebel had 12 points, six rebounds, six assists and one steal.
 
The Vikings held a decisive 45-29 advantage in the rebounding department with Ferguson leading the team with nine. Augustana also shot .571 (20-35) from the floor in the second half.
 
Central got 18 points from Kyle Smith and 16 from Malik Wildermuth.
 
Giovanine's team is now 8-1 on the season while Central falls to 3-7. Augustana will be in action again on Friday, December 22 against Wisconsin-Stevens Point in a game played in the Wisconsin Dells and starting at 7:00 p.m.