ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings men's basketball team will be back in action for the first time in over a week when they welcome in the No. 12 ranked UW-La Crosse Eagles on Wednesday, December 28 from inside the Carver Center. The game was previously scheduled for December 22, but was rescheduled due to weather.

Augie comes in sporting a 3-8 record on the season, picking up a 65-59 road win over Knox in their last outing on December 19. The Vikings rushed out to a double-digit halftime lead, led by Daniel Carr who notched 14 of his 22 points in the opening 20 minutes. Knox slowly trimmed away at the deficit, cutting it to just two about seven minutes into the second half. The Vikings answered with a 7-2 run to cushion their advantage, using their defense to hold Knox to 0-5 shooting during the ensuing four-minute span. Augie held off one final Knox comeback threat to hold on for the six-point win. Carr hauled in 14 rebounds to go with his game-high scoring output, while Evan Ambrose also tallied double figures with 12 points and five assists. 

La Crosse enters Wednesday with a 9-2 overall record, checking in at No. 12 in the latest D3hoops.com poll after previously jumping to as high as No. 3. The Eagles have dropped two straight games after beginning the year 9-0, falling to St. Mary's (Minn.) at home in their most recent outing 73-66. La Crosse fell to Trine by three points prior to that for their first defeat of the season. The Eagles and Vikings have two common opponents so far throughout their schedule, with La Crosse defeated UW-Whitewater before falling to St. Mary's. Augustana lost to Whitewater in their season-opener, but defeated St. Mary's on the road by a final of 81-73.

Wednesday will be the ninth meeting all-time between the two programs, with La Crosse leading the series 5-3. The Eagles won the last encounter back in 2019, a 64-62 victory at home. 

Start time is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.