DUBUQUE, Iowa -- The Augustana Vikings men's basketball team used a strong defensive showing to pick up a 67-48 victory over the Dubuque Spartans. It is the fewest points allowed for Augie since December 30, 2021 when the team gave up 46 in a win over Aurora.

Tyler Knuth put the Vikings on the board first with a three-pointer in the opening minute before the two teams traded baskets and resulted in the Spartans' first and only lead at 8-7. The time in front for the home team was brief as Augie rattled off eight points in a row, seeing four made baskets from four different players during that span. A three from the Spartans shrunk the margin to four, but that was as small as it got the rest of the of the half. Augustana extended its advantage out to as many as 14 on two separate occasions, which included the 39-25 halftime score following a basket by Knuth with 33 seconds remaining. 

Augie hit nearly 60 percent of its looks in the first half despite knocking down just one three in eight attempts. The Vikings held the Spartans to just 28 percent from the field and 19 percent from downtown through 20 minutes.

The first four minutes of the second half was all Dubuque, out-scoring Augie 12-2 during that time frame to get within four at 41-37. Augustana countered with a scoring run of its own, stringing together 10 points while holding the Spartans to just two over the next three minutes of play. The closest the home team got the rest of the way was eight points and the Vikings held the Spartans to just five points in the final 11 minutes of the game. A three-pointer by Dubuque around the four-minute mark brought the score to 56-48 in favor of Augie and served as the final points of the contest for the Spartans. From there, Knuth added five points and Chase Larsen contributed four as the team ran away with the 19-point victory.

Four players reached double figures in scoring for the win for Augustana, led by Knuth's 17 points. Staishaun Kelley finished with 13, Evan Ambrose with 12, and Larsen with 10 to round out the balanced attack. Five different Vikings had at least five rebounds.

As a team, Augie shot 50 percent from the field while holding to Dubuque to just 31 percent. 

The Vikings are now 2-0 for the first time since 2017. The team will be back in action Wednesday at DePauw.