ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings men's basketball team fell at home on Wednesday to the Millikin Big Blue by a score of 67-62.

Augustana jumped out to the quick lead following a jumper by Evan Ambrose on the opening possession and remained out in front through the end of the first half. Leading 12-11, the Vikings rattled off 10 points to secured their first double-digit advantage at 22-11, fueled by baskets by four different players during that span. The two teams played even at 11 points apiece the rest of the way and Augie took a 33-22 cushion into the halftime break. The Vikings hit 50 percent of their looks in 20 minutes of play, while holding the Big Blue to just under 42 percent. Ambrose led all scorers with nine in the first half. 

The two teams traded scores to begin the second, seeing the margin move in and out of double figures for the first four minutes. Millikin inched closer with an 8-0 run, but Augie countered with back-to-back layups by Staishaun Kelley to extend the differential back out to seven. After Augie stretched the lead to eight, the visitors strung together an 11-2 run to take their first lead of the game at 49-48 with four minutes remaining. A Tyler Knuth bucket put the Vikings back out in front, but it was the last lead the team saw. The Big Blue hit all 14 free throw attempts the rest of the way to hold off a late Augie surge and secure the five-point victory. 

Ambrose led Augustana with 14 points, followed by Kelley with 13 and Knuth with 10.

With the loss, the team drops to 8-5 on the year and 1-3 in CCIW play. The team will next take on North Park on Saturday on the road.