Men's Basketball 1/12/05 -- Augsburg 76, Concordia-Moorhead 73

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (1/12/05) -- Dan Graf (So., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) led all scorers with 27 points, hiting 5-of-6 from beyond the three-point arc, and teammate Lucas Olson-Patterson (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) netted 26 points, as Augsburg College rallied from an early 11-point deficit to claim a 76-73 home victory over Concordia College-Moorhead in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball contest Wednesday night at Si Melby Hall.

Graf hit three 3-pointers and had 15 points in the second half, including a three-pointer with 54 seconds remaining in the game that put the Auggies ahead to stay, 74-71. Graf added five rebounds, two assists and a game-high six steals.

Augsburg rallied from a 20-9 deficit halfway through the first half to claim the win and improve to 6-6 overall, 4-3 in MIAC play, breaking a two-game losing streak. Concordia drops to 5-7 overall, 3-4 in MIAC play.

Augsburg used a 10-3 run over a three-minute span to claw back into the game after the early deficit, and eventually tied the game at 34-34 at halftime on a three-pointer by Olson-Patterson.

The teams traded leads 14 times in the game, which also featured eight ties. Augsburg edged ahead by five points on four separate occasions, but each advantage was quickly matched by Concordia, though the Cobbers led just once in the second half -- 65-64 with 4:27 remaining on consecutive three-pointers by Keith Eckhoff (Jr., Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson HS) and Eric Meichsner (Fr., Morris, Minn.).

Eckhoff, the MIAC's leading scorer, led the Cobbers with 18 points and six rebounds, connecting on four 3-pointers.

After the Meichsner three-pointer, the Auggies quickly answered, as Olson-Patterson scored, was fouled and hit a free throw to put the Auggies back in front on the next possession, 67-65. Olson-Patterson hit 8-of-11 from the field and scored 19 points in the second half, scoring nine of Augsburg's final 14 points in the game.

After Graf's three-pointer with 54 seconds left, the Cobbers cut the lead again to one point on a driving layup by Eckhoff with 37 seconds left, 74-73.

With 20 seconds left, Concordia fouled Olson-Patterson, who missed a free throw, but Graf was able to tap the rebound back to an Augsburg teammate for a crucial offensive rebound. Charlie Scott (So., Ely, Minn.) was then fouled with 15 seconds left, and he canned both free throws to produce the eventual final margin.

Concordia had one final possession, but the Cobbers missed a three-pointer and committed a turnover in the closing seconds to give the Auggies the win.

Olson-Patterson scored in double-figures for the 11th time this season and extended his double-figure scoring streak to 19 straight games dating back to last year. Olson-Patterson has scored in double-figures in 31 of his 34 Augsburg games. He also had five rebounds and two steals in the contest.

Scott had 11 points, three assists and three steals, while Kevin Keto (So., Forest Lake, Minn.) had 12 assists and five steals for the Auggies.

Augsburg committed just 10 turnovers in the game, while Concordia had 24.

In addition to Eckhoff's 18 points, Soren Nelson (Sr., Twin Valley, Minn./Norman Valley East HS) had 17 points, five rebounds and two assists, Luke Linz (Fr., Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins HS) had 13 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots, and Jason Miller (Jr., Moorhead, Minn.) had nine points and four rebounds.

Augsburg and Concordia return to MIAC play on Saturday (1/15) at 3 p.m., with Augsburg playing at Gustavus and Concordia hosting Bethel.