ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings men's basketball team earned a win in its final non-conference outing of the season on Saturday, defeating the visiting Benedictine Eagles at home by a score of 74-68.

Both teams shot well in the first half on their way to a high-scoring opening frame, beginning with a back-and-forth battle to kick off the contest. Neither squad saw a lead of more than five points through the first 10 minutes of action, with the third tie of the early going coming in at the halfway point with a score of 20-20. Each defense stepped up over the course of the next five minutes, allowing just five points to one another before the offenses stole the show the rest of the way. Augie created space with a lead of five at 36-31, but a 5-0 run from the visitors right before the end of the half evened the score. Evan Ambrose drew a foul on a half-court heave as time expired and sank all three foul shots to give the Vikings a 39-36 advantage at the break. The Eagles hit 50 percent of their looks in the first compared to a 45 percent clip from Augie, but the Vikings made up the difference with two additional made three-pointers and a plus-five differential at the free throw line.

After nearly four minutes of play to begin the second half, the game remained within a single possession until Augie used an 11-3 scoring run to claim the first of three 10-point cushions. Leading 57-47 with 11:32 remaining, the Vikings endured a scoring run from the Eagles as a 10-0 spurt deadlocked the score once again with 9:22 to go. Following four straight points from Matt Hawkins to move Augustana back out in front, the margin never went beyond one possession for the next seven minutes, seeing two ties and four lead changes. Up by two with a minute to go, Hawkins converted a physical layup at the rim to stretch the score to 70-66 in favor of the Vikings. Benedictine inched closer with a basket immediately after, but consecutive perfect trips to the line from Chase Larsen and Tyler Knuth put the game out of reach at its 74-68 final.

The Vikings hit just 34 percent of their looks in the second half, but were a perfect 10-10 from the charity stripe and held another advantage from behind the three-point line. Four members tallied double-digit points in the win, led by Knuth with 19 and Hawkins with 16 off the bench. Ambrose and Larsen added 11 and 10, respectively. The Vikings won the turnover battle over the Eagles, forcing 15 while only committing nine. Three players for Augie swiped two steals, while three others had one apiece.

With the win, the Vikings improve to 4-9 on the season. The team will remain at home for a conference battle on Wednesday, January 3 when they take on Wheaton. Start time is scheduled for 7 p.m.