DECATUR, Ill. – Augustana nearly rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final four minutes Sunday, but ultimately came up just short, as Millikin held off the Vikings by a score of 75-71 at the Griswold Center. The setback, in a contest originally scheduled for Saturday, dropped Augustana to 8-7 on the season and 3-3 in the CCIW. The Big Blue improved to 10-4 overall and 3-2 in the conference.
 
Abby Ratsch's layup with 3:43 to play gave Millikin its biggest lead of the afternoon at 68-56, but Alexis Jones (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) scored 11 seconds later to kickstart the Vikings' comeback. A Gabriela Loiz (Alleman HS, Davenport, Iowa) bucket, two Jones free throws and a Jeni Crain (Woodstock HS, Woodstock, Ill.) three-pointer pulled the visitors to within 68-65 with 1:34 remaining.
 
The Big Blue still led 72-68 after Bailey Coffman hit one of two free throws with 26 seconds left, but freshman Macy Beinborn (Pleasant Valley HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) got free on the left wing and drained her fifth three-pointer of the game to cut the deficit to 72-71. After Millikin's Natalie Snyder split a pair of charity tosses at the 16-second mark, Augustana entered the ball to Loiz in the lane, but her potential game-tying shot was off the mark as the buzzer sounded. Millikin added a pair of free throws after a Viking bench technical to account for the final.
 
Beinborn scored eight straight points, including her first two treys of the day, to help stake Augustana to an early 19-7 lead. The Big Blue righted things to trail 20-14 at the quarter break.
 
Second-period struggles, which have plagued the Vikings for much of the year, struck again on Saturday. Coffman scored five points as the hosts opened the quarter with a 10-2 run to take their first lead (24-22) since 3-2. A Coffman layup extended the advantage to 29-24 before consecutive Jones buckets made it 29-28. Jazmin Brown's jumper from the right elbow sent Millikin to the locker room with a 31-28 edge.
 
The third quarter was nip-and-tuck, with eight lead changes. After the first six, the Big Blue stretched their lead to 46-41. However, Lauren Hall (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and Jones had back-to-back conventional three-point plays to put Coach Mark Beinborn's club up 47-46. Two Miranda Fox freebies gave Millikin a 48-47 edge going the fourth quarter.
 
Another trey from Beinborn gave Augustana its final lead (54-53) with eight minutes to play, but five different players scored as the Big Blue answered with a 15-2 run to take their biggest lead.
 
Beinborn came off the bench and hit seven of 13 shots (five of 10 from beyond the arc) on her way to a game-high 19 points. Jones contributed her seventh double-double in the last eight games, with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Loiz and Hall each scored a dozen.
 
Coffman—also off the bench—led four Millikin players in double digits with 14 points.
 
The Vikings hit 27 of 57 (.474) from the field and six of 18 (.333) from three-point range, but just 11 of 20 (.550) at the free throw line. The Big Blue shot .419 (26-62), .292 (7-24) and .696 (16-23), respectively, won the battle of the boards 39-38 and committed 16 turnovers to Augustana's 20.
 
The Vikings will be back in action on Saturday, January 18, traveling to Chicago, Illinois to take on league co-leader North Park with tipoff scheduled for 5:00 p.m.