Men's Basketball 11/30/02 -- Augsburg 97, Peru State (Neb.) 84 

BOXSCORE

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (11/30/02) -- Jay Howard * (Sr., Burnsville, Minn.) claimed a double-double, scoring 24 points and pulling down 13 rebounds, playing all 40 minutes as Augsburg College claimed a 97-84 win over Peru State College (Neb.) on Saturday night in the Northwestern College (Iowa) Pizza Ranch Tournament consolation game.

Howard scored 13 points and had nine rebounds in the first half, as the Auggies pulled away from Peru State in the second half to improve to 3-1 overall. Peru State, an NAIA school, is now 9-3 overall.

Augsburg rallied from an early five-point deficit and eventually took the lead for good with 6:16 left in the first half, leading 35-34. Augsburg led 46-41 at halftime.

In the second half, Augsburg used a 20-4 run over a six-minute stretch to take a 69-49 lead with 8:33 left. Adam Kotewa (Sr., North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS) had eight points in the run.

Kotewa had 20 points, hitting five 3-pointers in the game. He also had three assists and two steals. Yarzue Slowon (So., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) also had 20 points, adding nine rebounds. He went 8-of-9 from the free-throw line, as did Howard.

As a team, Augsburg took advantage of 21 Peru State fouls, going 26-of-32 at the free-throw line. Augsburg shot 52.5 percent (31-of-59) from the field, and converted nine 3-pointers.

Nate Kerkhoff (Sr., Waconia, Minn.) had 10 points and five rebounds, and Marcus Gholson (Jr., Gary, Ind./William A. Wirt HS) had eight points and two steals.

Peru State was led by Michael Woods, who had 37 points and eight rebounds. He went 14-of-23 from the field, hitting six 3-pointers. Montsho Wilson had 14 points and eight assists, and Jon Brydson had 11 points, and three assists.

Augsburg opens Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday (12/4), hosting Gustavus Adolphus College at 7:30 p.m. at Si Melby Hall.