ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Nolan Ebel (Regis Jesuit HS, Denver, Colo.) scored with 1.8 seconds left in overtime Wednesday and then stole the ensuing inbounds pass to lock up Augustana's 86-84 win over Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Carver Center. The Vikings, ranked fifth in the nation, improved to 4-1 on the year, while the fourth-ranked Pointers

suffered their first loss in four outings.
 
Augustana led 84-82 when Stevens Points' Nate Dodge was fouled attempting a three-pointer with 15.5 seconds left in the overtime session. Dodge, who finished with a game-high 40 points, missed the second of his three free throws, leaving the contest tied at 84-all. Following a timeout, Ebel dribbled the ball at midcourt until the seven-second mark, drove around a Micah Martin (Iowa City HS, Iowa City, Iowa) screen at the top of the key and dropped in a layup from the right side with 1.8 seconds on the clock. He then intercepted the inbounds pass and ran out the clock.
 
Dodge opened the scoring with a three-pointer in the second minute of the game and the Vikings would trail for the next 36 minutes.
 
Dodge scored 20 in the first half, hitting 7-of-8 from the field, including 6-of-7 from beyond the arc. The Pointers matched their biggest lead of the game at 31-20 on an Ethan Bublitz jumper with 6:25 left in the half and the margin was still 10 (34-24) at the three-minute mark. However, Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) had a conventional three-point play and Brett Benning (Dakota HS, Davis, Ill.) hit a three-pointer as Augustana closed with an 8-4 run to trim the deficit to 38-32 at intermission.
 
The hosts carved into the lead in the second half but every Viking push was answered by Stevens Point. Another Benning trey at the 17:24 mark pulled Augustana to within 43-41, but Bublitz, Dodge and Canon O'Heron each scored to bump the margin back to eight. Mark Nelson's three-pointer with 12:16 left in regulation gave the Pointers their biggest lead of the second half at 52-43.
 
The margin bounced between four and eight points for more than six minutes, until a Martin dunk at 3:25 cut it to three (69-66). He made one of two free throws at 2:58 to make it 69-67 and Ebel hit two freebies at 2:37 to get the Vikings even (69-69) for the first time since 0-0.
 
Dodge answered with a three, but a Benning steal led to a Pierson Wofford (Springfield Lutheran HS, Springfield, Ill.) layup and Ebel tied it again at 73-all with two free throws with 31 seconds on the clock. A potential game-winning three from the right corner by Stevens Point's Drew Fredrickson was no good, sending the teams to overtime.
 
Wofford opened the extra session with a pair of free throws that gave Augustana its first lead of the night, 75-73, with 3:56 to play. Dodge's ninth and final three-pointer gave UWSP one last lead at 80-79, but Orange drilled a trey from the left wing to put the Vikings back on top. Bublitz hit two free throws and Ebel knocked down a long two, setting the stage for the final two possessions.
 
All five Vikings starters scored in double figures. Ebel went 11-of-14 from the free throw line to finish with a team-high 19. He also had a game-high seven assists. Benning missed just one shot all night on his way to 18 points. Wofford (game-high eight rebounds) and Martin (seven rebounds and three blocks) each tallied 11 and Orange finished with 10. O'Heron complimented Dodge's huge night with a 20-point effort.
 
Augustana finished 27 of 54 (.500) from the floor, including 18 of 29 (.621) after halftime. The Vikings hit just five of 16 (.313) three-point attempts, but converted 27 of 36 (.750) at the free throw line. They won the rebound battle by a 37-30 margin and committed 12 turnovers to 13 for the Pointers. UWSP shot .475 (29-61) from the field, but a blistering .520 (13-25) from long range and .722 (13-18) from the foul line.
 
Coach Grey Giovanine's squad opens CCIW play on Saturday, December 1, hosting Carroll in the second half of a women's/men's doubleheader. The men's game is scheduled for a 7:00 tipoff.