ROCK ISLAND, Ill.—Augustana got 42 points from its bench Saturday on its way to a 76-55 victory over Millikin at Carver Center. The Vikings improved to 14-6 on the season and 8-3 in the CCIW, while the Big Blue dropped to 4-16 overall and 1-10 in the league.
 
The score was tied 7-7 after a ragged first eight minutes, but a Jacob Pauley (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) three-pointer gave Augustana a 10-7 lead it wouldn't relinquish. When Austin Elledge (Highland HS, Highland, Ill.) drained a three with 9:45 left in the half, the lead had grown to 20-9.
 
A pair of Michael Akinwumi free throws at the 7:41 mark got Millikin within eight (23-15) and the Big Blue would keep the deficit in single digits until freshman Matt Hanushewsky (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) fed Micah Martin (Iowa City HS, Iowa City, Iowa) for a dunk that made it 32-21 5:23 before halftime.
 
Sam Stichnote's bucket cut the Millikin deficit to single digits once more, but Martin scored again to spark a 15-4 Viking run to close the half. With the clock running down, Hanushewsky drove the baseline and found Luke Johnson (Longmont HS, Longmont, Colo.) in the right corner for a three-pointer that sent the hosts to the locker room with a 47-27 lead.
 
Augustana built on the lead through the first part of the second half. Another Martin basket with 17 minutes to play pushed the margin past 25 (55-29) for the first time and it ballooned past 30 (70-39) on a short jumper by Lucas Simon (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) at the 9:07 mark.
 
The Vikings matched that biggest lead of the night (74-43) on Pauley's dunk with 6:48 to play before the Big Blue outscored Augustana 12-2 over the last six minutes.
 
Pauley finished with 14 points in 19 minutes off the bench. Pierson Wofford (Springfield Lutheran HS, Springfield, Ill.) scored 14 as well to share game-high honors. Elledge and Carr added 11 points each. Johnson came off the bench for eight points and three steals. Five Vikings shared team high honors with four rebounds apiece and Hanushewsky and Jack Jelen (Bay HS, Bay Village, Ohio) dished out six and four assists, respectively.
 
Cedric Mitchell was the only Millikin player to reach doubles figures, scoring 13 in 26 minutes off the bench.
 
Augustana finished the night 31 of 61 from the field for a percentage of .508. The Vikings converted six of 16 (.375) from beyond the arc and eight of 10 (.800) at the foul line. They limited the Big Blue to .339 (20-59) field goal shooting and just .154 (2-13) from three-point range. Millikin made 13 of 19 (.684) free throws. Coach Grey Giovanine's club had a 37-36 edge on the boards and committed 17 turnovers to 19 for the Big Blue.
 
It's back on the road for Augustana on Wednesday, February 5, as the Vikings travel to Wheaton to take on the Thunder with tipoff at King Arena scheduled for 7:00 p.m.