ROCK ISLAND, Ill -- The Augustana Vikings men's basketball team will tip off the 2021-22 season on Saturday, November 6 with the first of two ranked opponents to begin the schedule as they face off with the No. 17 UW-Oshkosh Titans.
The Vikings are coming off a 7-5 abbreviated season in 2020-21 where they went 6-4 in CCIW action. The team finished in fourth place in the league and picked up a triple overtime win over Carthage in the CCIW Tournament before falling to Wheaton in round two. Augie returns four starters, including their top two leading scorers in
Dan Carr and
Carter Duwa. Carr, a junior, averaged 17.7 points per contest a year ago to go with 10.8 rebounds and a shooting percentage of 47 percent. Also a junior, Duwa is entering the new season following a 16.3 points per game average. The Bettendorf native shot 46 percent from the field last season and 39.7 percent from three-point range. Other returning starters include
Justin Bottorff and
Luke Johnson, who combined for just under 20 points per outing in 2020-21.
Matt Hanushewsky and
Nate Ortiz also started a few games for the Vikings last year and are back in the rotation this season.
UW-Oshkosh finished the 2020-21 season with a 5-2 slate, which also included a conference tournament win. The Titans enter the year ranked No. 17 in the country and in their last full season in 2019-20 posted a 20-9 record, which included a WIAC tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament opening round win. This year's roster for the Titans has nine upperclassmen and they return three of their top four scorers from last season, all of which averaged double figures. Eddie Muench returns after leading the Titans at 18.9 points per game in 2020-21. Oshkosh is led by head coach Matt Lewis, who is entering his fourth season with the program.
The Vikings and Titans have had a busy recent history of late, meeting six time since 2013, with each team winning three apiece. The Titans currently hold a three-game winning streak. Their most recent meeting came back in 2019, with Oshkosh taking the season opener in Rock Island by a score of 74-67. The two teams matched up twice during the 2017-18 season, with the Titans winning during the regular season in double overtime before knocking Augie out in the sectional final of the NCAA Tournament, also in overtime. Despite the currently three-game skid, Augustana leads the all-time series between the two 10-3.
Augie is led by first-year head coach
Tom Jessee, who has been with the program as an assistant for 28 years. He and his coaching staff, along with the team, are excited for the early-season challenge of not only playing on the road, but against a nationally ranked opponent.
"UW-Oshkosh will certainly be a tremendous challenge for our team," Jesse said. "They are a nationally ranked program and we have had some tremendous games with them over the last few years. It will be a terrific opportunity to see where we are with the progression of our team. We have had extremely productive practices and scrimmages over the last couple of weeks and we look forward to opening up the season."
Tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Game coverage at UW-Oshkosh
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