Men's Basketball 11/27/06 -- Augsburg (Minn.) 93, Presentation (S.D.) 72

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (11/27/06) -- Mitch Dice (Jr., Savage, Minn./Bloomington Lutheran HS) and Zach Krumwiede (Fr., Trimont, Minn./Martin County West HS) scored 16 points apiece, as Augsburg College claimed a 93-72 victory over Presentation College (S.D.) in a nonconference men's basketball game Monday night at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall.

Augsburg (2-0 overall) rallied from a 38-35 halftime deficit, outscoring Presentation (2-1 overall) by a 58-34 margin in the second half. Five Auggies scored in double figures, and 10 of the 13 Auggies who saw game action scored.

Dice connected on 6-of-8 from the field, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, and pulled down seven rebounds for the Auggies. Krumwiede hit 6-of-9 from the field, also hitting 2-of-3 from three-point range, while contributing six assists and three steals.

Michael Heim (Jr., Cresbard, S.D.) went 7-for-7 from the field for Presentation, scoring a game-high 18 points. He went 2-for-2 from three-point range.

Augsburg jumped out to an early 19-5 lead in the first seven minutes of play and eventually led 33-20 with 5:33 left in the first half, but Presentation used a 14-0 run over a 2:59 span to take a 34-33 advantage with 2:34 left. Heim had eight straight points in the 14-0 run.

The Saints jumped out to a five-point lead in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Auggies eventually tied the game and pulled away. A 30-7 run over an 8:31 span enabled Augsburg to take a 22-point lead, 81-59. The Auggies led by as many as 26 points down the stretch.

Augsburg hit 59.5 percent (22-of-37) from the field in the second half, including hitting 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) from three-point range. Augsburg outrebounded Presentation by a 42-33 margin, including a 23-15 advantage in the second half.

Darren Nelson (So., Richfield, Minn.) scored 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting for the Auggies, contributing four rebounds and two assists. Jon Cassens (Fr., Prior Lake, Minn.) had 12 points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals. Dan Graf (Sr., Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Femi Solaja (Jr., Cottage Grove, Minn./St. Paul Harding HS) had eight points and six rebounds.

Richie Ward (Fr., Aberdeen, S.D.) scored 12 points for Presentation, hitting two 3-pointers. Tommy Gregg (Sr., Marshall, Minn.) scored 11 points and had seven rebounds, and Matt Lokenvitz (Sr., Charles City, Iowa) had nine points and three steals. Abram Albee (Jr., Rochester, Minn.) had six points and five rebounds, and Logan Huber (Sr., Conde, S.D.) had six assists and five rebounds.

Augsburg returns to action on Wednesday (11/29) at 8 p.m. with a nonconference home game against Bethany Lutheran at Si Melby Hall. Presentation competes at the Viterbo University (Wis.) Classic on Friday and Saturday (12/1-2) in La Crosse, Wis. The Saints face host Viterbo on Friday at 7 p.m.