ROCK ISLAND, Ill.—A Pierson Wofford (Springfield Lutheran HS, Springfield, Ill.) three-pointer beat the final buzzer Wednesday and lifted Augustana to a 94-93 win over fourth-ranked Elmhurst at Carver Center. The victory moved Coach Grey Giovanine's squad to 13-6 on the season and 7-3 in the CCIW, while the Bluejays suffered just their second loss in 19 games overall and fell to 8-2 in the conference.
 
Elmhurst took a 52-50 lead on a layup by Jake Rhode with 15½ minutes to play and would maintain the advantage until Wofford's shot. A Derek Dotlich bucket with 6:11 left pushed the margin to 10 (79-69) and it was still nine (86-77) after a Dotlich three at the 3:18 mark.
 
A key play occurred with the Bluejays on top 86-81 and 1:38 remaining, when Bluejay big man Lavon Thomas was called for his fifth foul and received a technical for protesting. Wofford drained both technical shots and Micah Martin (Iowa City HS, Iowa City, Iowa) hit both foul shots to make it a one-point game. The visitors recovered though and still led 92-87 after two Dotlich free throws with 25.5 seconds left.
 
With 12.2 seconds to play, Wofford scored in the lane to make it a one possession game. Freshman Matt Hanushewsky (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) stole the ensuing inbounds pass and made both free throws after being fouled. Trailing 92-91 and forced to foul, the Vikings had to put Dotlich, the nations' third-leading free throw shooter, at the line for two with 6.9 seconds left. His first bounced off the side of the rim and after an Augustana timeout, he converted the second to make the score 93-91.
 
Jack Jelen (Bay HS, Bay Village, Ohio) took the inbounds pass, crossed midcourt, flared to the left wing and fired a pass back to Wofford, standing straight on, 30 feet out. The senior didn't hesitate and his shot hit nothing but the bottom of the net as the final buzzer sounded.
 
The Vikings weathered a shaky start that saw them fall behind 9-3, getting a big spark from the bench as they answered with a 13-2 run to go up 16-11. Jacob Pauley (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) had a pair of treys in the spurt. A Daniel Carr (Regis Jesuit HS Highlands Ranch, Colo.) layup off a great feed from Lucas Simon (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) gave Augustana a 25-15 lead at the midway point of the first half and the margin eventually reached 14 (39-25) on Martin's conventional three-point play 4½ minutes before halftime.
 
At the 3:48 mark, Wofford picked up his third foul and was forced to the bench and Elmhurst closed the half with a 16-2 run to pull even at 41-all.
 
The lead changed hands twice early in the second half, but Rhode's layup with 15:29 left gave the Bluejays an advantage they would keep nearly the rest of the way.
 
Martin finished with a game and career-high 27 points, shooting 8-of-13 from the field and 11-of-18 from the foul line. Austin Elledge (Highland HS, Highland, Ill.) added 17 while missing just one shot all night. Wofford scored all of his 12 points in the second half, to go along with a game-high seven rebounds and four assists. Simon (11) and Pauley (10) scored in double figures as well.
 
Dotlich (24), Rhode (21), Jay Militello (14) and Thomas (12) combined for 71 points for the Bluejays. Dotlich grabbed five boards and Rhode and Thomas each had five assists.
 
Both teams shot it exceptionally well. The Vikings hit 30 of 56 (.536) from the floor, including 12 of 25 (.480) from three-point range. They were 22 of 33 (.667) from the free throw line. Elmhurst hit .561 (32-57) from the field, .368 (7-19) from long range and .917 (22-24) from the charity stripe. Augustana won the battle of the boards 30-26 and committed 12 turnovers to 13 for the Bluejays.
 
Giovanine's outfit is back at Carver Center on Saturday, February 1, hosting Millikin in a 7:00 p.m. tilt.