Men's Basketball 12/9/02 -- Macalester 76, Augsburg 72 

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (12/9/02) -- Outscoring the hosts by an 18-4 margin over the final 7:24 of play, Macalester College claimed a 76-72, come-from-behind victory over Augsburg College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball game Monday night at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall.

Ben Van Thorre (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS) scored 27 points -- 21 in the second half -- and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Scots, who improved to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in MIAC play, scoring their fourth straight win over Augsburg. Augsburg dropped its third straight game in falling to 3-4 overall and 0-3 in MIAC play.

Van Thorre went 11-of-15 from the field, and had two 3-pointers, two steals, two assists and two blocked shots. He had nine points and four rebounds in the game-clinching 18-4 run.

The game was a back-and-forth one early, with 12 ties and 14 lead changes -- eight ties and 12 lead changes in the first half. Macalester led 39-38 at the break.

But Augsburg began to pull away in the second stanza, using an 18-6 run over a six-minute span to take a 64-54 lead with 10:08 remaining. Nate Kerkhoff (Sr., Waconia, Minn.) had nine of his team-high 19 points in the Auggie run.

Augsburg extended the lead to its biggest margin, 12 points, before Macalester made its dramatic comeback. Macalester also took advantage of Augsburg fouls in the stretch, hitting 9-of-12 from the line during the final 7:24.

A Van Thorre three-pointer with 1:45 left tied the game for the first time in a 15-minute span, drawing the game at 70-70. Yarzue Slowon (So., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) hit a jumper with 52 seconds left to give Augsburg a 72-70 lead, but the Scots tied the game 11 seconds later, when Luke Friedrich (Sr., Deer Creek, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek HS) nailed a layup, his only points of the game. Brendan Bosman (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest HS) blocked a Slowon drive with 25 seconds left, and connected on both free throws after rebounding the ball and being fouled, giving the Scots the lead to stay.

Augsburg had a chance to take the lead, but a Kerkhoff three-point attempt missed, and after Van Thorre got the rebound, he was fouled and hit two free throws with 10 seconds left to ice the game.

Erik Jackson (So., Evergreen, Colo.) scored 14 points and had five assists, Patrick Russell (Sr., Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS) had 13 points, six rebounds and three assists, and Will Moeller (So., New Ulm, Minn./New Ulm Cathedral HS) had 12 points, hitting 4-of-5 from three-point range in the first half.

Augsburg was paced by Kerkhoff's 19 points. Marcus Gholson (Jr., Gary, Ind./William A. Wirt HS) had 15 points and four rebounds, while Adam Kotewa (Sr., North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS) hit three 3-pointers to collect 13 points.

Jay Howard * (Sr., Burnsville, Minn.) had 13 points, six rebounds and three assists, and Slowon had six points, eight assists, three rebounds and three steals.

Both teams return to MIAC action on Wednesday (12/11) at 7:30 p.m., with Augsburg playing at St. John's and Macalester hosting Concordia-Moorhead.