Men's Basketball 2/8/03 -- Hamline 78, Augsburg 69 (OT) 

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (2/8/03) -- Tyler Petrich (Sr., Hugo, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) scored six of his 15 points in overtime, as Hamline University outscored Augsburg 14-5 in the extra session en route to a 78-69 win over host Augsburg College a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball contest Saturday afternoon at Si Melby Hall.

Augsburg rallied from a nine-point deficit with a 12-3 run to tie the game in the final 4:43 to force overtime, but Hamline scored the first six points of the extra session and stretched the advantage to nine points for the victory.

Held on a day when Augsburg retired the collegiate jersey of alumnus and current NBA player Devean George at halftime, the game was just as entertaining as the halftime ceremony. Saturday's game pitted two of the hottest teams in the MIAC in recent weeks. Hamline, now 11-10 overall and 7-9 in the MIAC, has won six of its last seven games. Augsburg, winners of seven of its last 10 games entering Saturday's contest, dropped to 10-12 overall and 7-10 in MIAC play.

The game featured 18 lead changes and 11 ties.

Hamline led 27-25 at halftime and stretched the advantage to as many as 11 points, 52-41 with 8:53 left in the second half. The Pipers led 61-52 with 4:43 left before Augsburg made its comeback.

Yarzue Slowon (So., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) converted a three-point play with 2:58 left to cut the lead to three points, 61-58, and then claimed steal on Hamline's next possession. Jeff Willihnganz * (Jr., Oshkosh, Wis./Oshkosh West HS) nailed a three-pointer to tie the game at 61-61 with 2:34 left. The teams then traded free throws, and Slowon nearly hit a miraculous three-point shot with 45 seconds left.

Augsburg took a two-point lead on a layup by Casey Zilka (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) with 33 seconds left, but Hamline tied the game on two free throws by Paul Muenchow (So., St. Anthony Village, Minn.) with eight seconds remaining.

Hamline dominated the overtime, hitting 4-of-5 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line in the extra session. Meanwhile, Augsburg was limited to 2-of-9 from the field and went 1-for-2 from the line.

Hamline scored on its first five possessions of overtime to build a nine-point lead, 75-66 with 1:50 left. Petrich had a three-pointer and five points in the run. Augsburg could only cut the advantage to six points after that point.

Hamline had four players score in double figures, led by Muenchow, who had 17 points and six rebounds. Petrich had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, adding five assists.

Jerome Williams (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Josh Hanson (Jr., St. Cloud, Minn./Apollo HS) had 15 points and six rebounds.

Augsburg was paced by Jay Howard * (Sr., Burnsville, Minn.), who had 21 points and five rebounds. Zilka had a double-double for the first time in his Auggie career, with 12 points and 15 rebounds.

Marcus Gholson (Jr., Gary, Ind./William A. Wirt HS) and Willihnganz had 11 points apiece, Willihnganz hiting three 3-pointers. Slowon had nine points, six assists, five steals and four rebounds.

Both teams return to MIAC action in Northfield, Minn., on Wednesday (2/12) at 7:30 p.m., with Hamline playing at Carleton and Augsburg playing at St. Olaf.