Men's Basketball 2/11/04 -- Augsburg 81, St. Olaf 63

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (2/11/04) -- Lucas Olson-Patterson (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) had 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, leading a balanced Augsburg College attack, as the Auggies pulled away in the second half for an 81-63 victory over St. Olaf College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall.

Thirteen Auggies saw game action and nine figured in the scoring, as the Auggies improved to 8-15 overall, 5-13 in MIAC play. Augsburg won its second game in a row, just the third time this season Augsburg has claimed back-to-back wins. St. Olaf drops to 7-15 overall, 4-13 in MIAC play.

Trailing 16-15 with 12:07 left in the first half, Augsburg went on a 14-3 run over a four-minute span to take a 10-point lead, 29-19, a lead the Auggies would not give up the rest of the way. Grant Hemmingsen (So., New Brighton, Minn./Mounds View HS) had five points in the Auggie run. The Oles cut the lead to two points with eight straight over the next 2:30, but could not tie the game, and Augsburg pulled away again, leading 39-35 at halftime.

A 9-0 run over a four-minute span early in the second half gave the Auggies a 14-point lead, 50-39 with 14:26 left. Olson-Patterson had four points and Yarzue Slowon (Sr., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) had three points in the Auggie run. Augsburg continued to stretch the lead in the second half, leading by as many as 23 points with three minutes remaining.

Olson-Patterson scored 13 points and had five rebounds in the second half for the Auggies.

Slowon scored 11 points, adding six assists, four steals and three rebounds. Dan Graf (Fr., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers and score 15 points. Hemmingsen had nine points and six rebounds, while Casey Zilka (Sr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) had nine points, six rebounds and three assists. Marcus "Rico" Gholson (Sr., Gary, Ind./William A. Wirt HS) had nine points, and Zac Rosen (Jr., Plymouth, Minn./West Lutheran HS) had five points and 11 rebounds.

The Oles were led by Ted Gonsior (Jr., Centerville, Minn./Centennial HS), who had 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. Matt Schlenker (Sr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) had eight 12 points, four rebounds and two assists, and Jon Butala (Fr., West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) and Andy Grimsrud (Jr., Zumbrota, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS) had eight points apiece.

Augsburg forced 16 St. Olaf turnovers, converting 11 steals and claiming 18 points off the Ole miscues. Meanwhile, St. Olaf claimed just one point off of 10 Augsburg turnovers, converting just five steals. Augsburg also had 17 second-chance points off of 15 offensive rebounds, while St. Olaf had 11 second-chance points on 13 offensive rebounds.

Augsburg connected on 43.8 percent (32-of-73) from the field, including 8-of-19 (42.1 percent) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, St. Olaf hit 38.9 percent (21-of-54) from the field and 7-of-20 (35.0 percent) from three-point range. The Oles also suffered at the free-throw line, missing seven of its first eight attempts at the line in going 14-of-26 (53.8 percent) in the game.

Both teams return to MIAC play on Saturday (2/14) at 3 p.m., with Augsburg playing at St. Mary's and St. Olaf hosting Macalester.