Box Score

ELMHURST, Ill. – Junior Clare Kramer (Prophetstown HS, Prophetstown, Ill.) drilled a three-point field goal with just one second remaining in the game to give Augustana a pulsating 66-63 win over Elmhurst on Wednesday, December 6. The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin opener for the Vikings came down to the wire at Faganel Hall in Elmhurst, Illinois before Kramer's triple gave head coach Mark Beinborn's crew a critical road victory.
 
Cramer's winning basket came off an assist from junior Izzy Anderson (Alleman Catholic HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and it was fitting because Anderson was a major player for the Vikings in the final half-minute of play.
 
Augustana, which led by as many as 13 points in the first half, was trailing 63-60 after Elmhurst's Kelly Weyhrich made two free throws with :35 left to play. Anderson came down and buried a three point field goal to tie the game at 63-63 with :31 left. She then pulled down a defensive rebound after the Bluejays' Kaela Jones missed a shot with :20 left. Eventually Anderson would feed Kramer for the game winner.
 
The Vikings roared out to a 23-12 lead after one quarter and still led by 11 (36-25) at halftime. Things turned in the third quarter, however, as Elmhurst went on a 22-8 spurt and heading into the fourth stanza the home team led 47-44.
 
In the fourth quarter the game was tied six times and the lead changed hands five times. Elmhurst's biggest lead in the final period was three points on two occasions and the Vikings largest margin in that same time frame was the final score.
 
Anderson led Augustana in scoring with 18 points and she also grabbed four rebounds, had three assists and three steals. She was joined in double figures by freshman Justice Edell (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.), senior Victoria Allen (Eureka HS, Wildwood, Mo.) and Kramer. Edell had 11 points while Allen and Kramer had 10 each. Allen led the team with 10 rebounds and she also had three assists and five steals. Edell had two steals while Kramer pulled down six rebounds.
 
The Vikings lost the rebounding battle to the Bluejays by a margin of 45-41 but Augustana did manage 15 steals from its defensive pressure. In the first half Beinborn's club held Elmhurst to just .290 (9-31) from the floor. Elmhurst got 22 points from Jasmin Bailey and 15 from Mikaela Eppard.
 
Augustana moved to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the CCIW with the victory while Elmhurst fell to 3-4 and 1-1. The Vikings will travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin on Saturday, December 9 to play Carthage in a CCIW battle.