Box Score

WAUKESHA, Wis. – It looked as though Augustana had lost out on an opportunity to clinch at least a share of the CCIW title Saturday afternoon when the Vikings fell 75-70 at Carroll. Although the 20th-ranked Vikings dropped to 18-5 overall and 11-3 in the league, losses Saturday night by Carthage and North Park secured no less than a share of the regular season championship for Coach Grey Giovanine's club. The Pioneers improved to 12-10 on the season and 7-6 in the conference.
 
Augustana trailed 43-32 early in the second half, but rallied to tie at 51-all on a Dylan Sortillo (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa)  bucket with 10:06 to play. Chrishawn Orange's (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) three-pointer with 6:52 to play gave the visitors their first lead (56-55) since the 14:47 mark of the first half. There were four lead changes in the next two and a half minutes, with a Brett Benning (Dakota HS, Davis, Ill.) free throw putting the Vikings up 61-60 with 4:26 remaining.
 
Carroll responded by scoring on its next five possessions. Ben Widdes hit a three-pointer and two layups and Kyle Keranen dropped in a pair of treys, one of which came after a Tyler Ingebrigtsen offensive rebound. Widdes' last basket gave the Pioneers a 73-67 lead with 1:09 left.
 
Sortillo's three with 48 seconds left made it a one possession game (73-70) and when Tanner Zaekse missed the front end of a bonus opportunity nine seconds later, Augustana had a chance to tie. However, Sortillo missed a pair of long three-point tries—the second coming after a Benning offensive rebound—and the Vikings were forced to foul Keranen with 4.9 seconds left. He hit both free throws to account for the final.
 
Augustana led the contest early. A Nolan Ebel (Regis Jesuit HS, Denver, Colo.) three-pointer put the Vikings up 12-8 four minutes in, but the hosts responded with 11 straight points to take a lead they would maintain for nearly 28 minutes. Treys by Zaeske, Keranen and Nick Penny keyed the spurt.
 
Widdes layups with 4:11 and 2:57 to play in the first half gave Carroll its biggest leads of the afternoon at 12 points. The Pioneers eventually settled for a 41-32 advantage at intermission. Widdes scored the first basket of the second half to push the margin back to double digits.
 
Sortillo led Augustana with 20 points, four rebounds and three assists. Orange added 14 points and Jacob Johnston (Erie HS, Cordova, Ill.) 13. Widdes hit nine of 11 field goal attempts for a game-high 22 points and Keranen chipped in with 20 for Carroll. Ingebrigtsen snared a game-high eight rebounds.
 
The Vikings finished 26 of 54 (.481) from the field, six of 19 (.316) from three-point range and 12 of 16 (.750) from the foul line. The Pioneers blistered the nets to the tune of .563 (27-48) from the floor, .455 (10-22) from long range and .909 (10-11) from the charity stripe. Carroll controlled the glass by a 29-22 margin to help offset a 14-9 deficit in turnovers.
 
After an open date this Wednesday, Augustana will have an opportunity to lock up the league title outright--as well as host duties for the conference tournament--when it visits North Park on Saturday, February 18. Tipoff in Chicago, Illinois is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.