ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings men's basketball team will step back into CCIW play for the rest of the season on Wednesday, January 3 when they continue their home stand against the Wheaton Thunder.

Augie is currently 4-9 on the season and is fresh off a 74-68 home win over Benedictine on Saturday to close out the 2023 calendar year and its non-conference slate. 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. 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.

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. Four members tallied double-digit points in the win, led by Knuth with 19 and Hawkins with 16 off the bench.

Wheaton enters Wednesday with a 2-10 overall record and 1-2 standing in the CCIW. The Thunder are currently enduring a four-game losing streak, recently dropping a pair of non-conference games in Ohio over the weekend to John Carroll and Edgewood. Wheaton's last win came back on December 6, a road victory over Carroll to snag its first CCIW triumph. The Thunder are averaging 64 points per game this year and allowing 70. The team boasts a balanced scoring attack with four players averaging double figures. Wheaton is 1-4 in true road games this season.

Wednesday will be the 149th all-time meeting between the two programs, with Augie holding a 78-70 advantage in the series. The Thunder have won five of the last six encounters, including both last season.

Start time is scheduled for 7 p.m.