Men's Basketball 1/19/05 -- Macalester 87, Augsburg 73

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (1/19/05) -- Tom Conboy (Fr., Chanhassen, Minn./Minnetonka HS) had a double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead Macalester College, as the Scots pulled away in the second half to claim an 87-73 victory over host Augsburg College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at Si Melby Hall.

Conboy scored 18 points in the second half, including five points in a key 15-0 run by the Scots over a three-minute span early in the period, giving the Scots their biggest lead at 48-30 with 15:18 left. Erik Jackson (Sr., Evergreen, Colo.) also had five of his 19 points in the Macalester run.

Augsburg was able to trim the lead to seven points, 72-65 with 4:56 left, but a three-pointer by Brad Liddell (So., Crystal Lake, Minn./Central HS) put the Scots ahead by double-digits, and the Auggies could only cut the lead as low as eight points the rest of the way.

Macalester improved to 6-9 overall, 5-5 in MIAC play with the win, while Augsburg falls to 7-8 overall, 5-5 in MIAC play.

Lucas Olson-Patterson (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) led the Auggies with 26 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Olson-Patterson scored in double-figures for the 14th time this season and extended his double-figure scoring streak to 22 straight games, dating back to last year. Olson-Patterson has scored in double-figures in 34 of his 37 Augsburg games.

The difference in the game was a large free-throw advantage for Macalester. The Scots connected on 25-of-34 from the charity stripe, while Augsburg connected on just 6-of-8. The difference was more amplified in the second half, as the Scots went 19-of-27 from the line, while Augsburg went just 4-of-4. Augsburg was whistled for 16 fouls in the second half and 22 in the game, compared to just six in the second half and 14 in the game for the Scots.

Jackson, one of 18 finalists (and one of only three Division III finalists) for the Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year award, connected on four 3-pointers for the Scots, adding five assists and two steals. Wes McFarland (Sr., Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS) added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Liddell had 10 points, eight rebounds and two steals.

Adam Brister (Fr., New Prague, Minn.) scored in double figures for the first time in his Auggie career, with 13 pionts and five rebounds. He connected on three 3-pointers. Zac Rosen (Sr., Plymouth, Minn./West Lutheran HS) had eight points and five rebounds, and Kevin Keto (So., Forest Lake, Minn.) had six points and five assists.

Dan Graf (So., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS), who entered the game averaging 13.8 points per game for the Auggies, was held to just five points, adding eight rebounds and three assists.

Augsburg and Macalester return to MIAC action on Saturday (1/22) at 3 p.m., with Augsburg playing at St. Olaf and Macalester hosting Bethel.