Box Score

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Augustana used a 26-16 advantage in the second quarter to break open a close game and roll past North Central 86-63 in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin finale for both teams on Tuesday, February 20 in Naperville, Illinois. The Vikings used a 14-2 run late in the second quarter to blow the game open and finish the year with a 15-10 overall record and an 8-8 mark in league play.
 
With just 4:17 left in the second quarter the game was tied 27-27 after freshman Justice Edell (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) hit one free throw. Sophomore Alexis Jones (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) hit two free throws and made a layup, Edell drilled a three pointer, junior Sadie Roberts (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) scored a basket and junior Clare Kramer (Prophetstown HS, Lyndon, Ill.) scored a layup and that made it 38-29 with 1:30 left in the half. Edell then nailed a pair of free throws with :48 remaining to make it a 12 point cushion (41-29). North Central got a three point basket from Hannah Vitkus to trim the lead to 41-32.
 
In the third quarter Augustana scored the first nine points to grab a 50-32 lead with 6:08 to play. Roberts opened the half with a basket, junior Izzy Anderson (Alleman Catholic HS, Rock Island, Ill.) hit four straight free throws, Roberts hit a single free throw and Kramer ended the run with a layup.
 
The margin stayed in the 20-point range and in the fourth quarter it eventually ballooned to 27 (78-51) when Jones nailed a jumper with 4:14 left.
 
Edell and Jones led the team in scoring with 14 points each while Anderson dropped in 11 and Kramer scored 10. The Vikings were especially deadly at the free throw line as they made 30 of 35 (.857).
 
Jones and Kramer each hauled in eight rebounds as Augustana won the battle of the boards 49-45.
 
It was the final game in an Augustana uniform for seniors Victoria Allen (Eureka HS, Wildwood, Mo.) and Meghan Stovall (Broomfield HS, Broomfield, Colo.). Allen scored five points and had six rebounds, four assists and a steal while Stovall had six points and four rebounds.
 
The Vikings only committed 11 turnovers on the night and forced the Cardinals to cough up the ball 21 times.
 
Mayson Whipple led North Central in scoring with 12 points.
 
For the second year in a row Augustana finished with at least 15 wins. A year ago Head Coach Mark Beinborn's team was 17-9 overall and 10-6 in the CCIW while this year the Vikings were 15-10 and 8-8.