Women's Basketball 12/8/03 -- Augsburg 60, Macalester 44 

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (12/8/03) -- Selina Theisen (Fr., Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) scored her fourth straight double-double with 16 points, 16 rebounds, six blocked shots and three assists, and Augsburg College's Dave Johnson earned his first collegiate coaching victory, as the Auggies sprinted past visiting Macalester College 60-44 in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball game Monday night at Si Melby Hall.

Emily Anderson (So., Hudson, Wis.), a transfer from Wisconsin-Eau Claire, scored in double figures for the first time as an Auggie, adding 12 points, five rebounds and two assists, as Augsburg gained its first win of the year, moving to 1-5 overall, 1-2 in MIAC play.

Macalester remains winless at 0-6 overall, 0-4 in MIAC play.

Johnson, who coached for 19 years at Hudson (Wis.) High School (323-116 record) before moving to the collegiate ranks this year at Augsburg, gained his first college coaching win during a difficult early-season schedule that sees the Auggies play the three defending conference co-champions (Gustavus, Carleton and St. Benedict), in its first four conference games.

After spotting Macalester a 3-2 lead in the first two minutes, Augsburg never trailed after that point. Augsburg led 20-12 at the 7:27 mark, then went on a 14-0 run to take a 34-12 lead with 1:57 left in the first half. Augsburg led 37-18 at halftime and pulled away to lead by as many as 23 points in the second half, though the Scots cut the lead to 14 points in the closing minutes.

Theisen had 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots in the first half. For the fifth time in Augsburg's six games, the Auggies held the rebounding edge, with a 52-35 advantage. Augsburg dominated the inside game, scoring 30 points in the paint to Macalester's 10.

All 11 Auggies saw playing time in the game, and eight Auggies scored. Katie Kelsey (Jr., Burnsville, Minn.) nearly had a double-double for the Auggies, contributing eight points, 10 rebounds and three asists. She also hit two 3-pointers late in the first half. Ashley Sasek (Jr., Waukesha, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) also gained two 3-pointers in the game, with nine points. Julie Andert * (Sr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) had seven points, two steals and two rebounds, and Alissa Blood (Fr., Mounds View, Minn./Irondale HS) scored five points, hitting a three-pointer, to go with three rebounds.

Macalester was paced by Afton Hanson (Sr., Karlstad, Minn./Tri-County HS), last season's MIAC women's basketball scoring champion, who had a double-double with 15 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and two assists. She fouled out with 2:04 left to play. Alice Hacker (Jr., Portland, Ore./Catlin Gabel HS) had eight points and three assists, and Sarah Hill (Fr., Seminole, Texas) hit two 3-pointers to chip in six points.

Augsburg returns to MIAC action on Wednesday (12/10) at 7:30 p.m. at St. Benedict in its final contest before the holiday break. Macalester has a nonconference game at Wisconsin-River Falls on Thursday (12/11) at 7:30 p.m.