Men's Basketball 12/13/08 -- Northwestern-Roseville 76, Augsburg 74
MINNEAPOLIS (12/13/08) -- Augsburg College dropped a heartbreaker to Northwestern College-Roseville 76-74 in a nonconference men's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall. Northwestern's Brian Lecheler (SO, Abbotsford, Wis.) hit a jumper with two seconds remaining to secure the victory for the Eagles.
Augsburg (4-4 overall) finished with four players in double figures -- led by Jon Cassens (JR, Prior Lake, Minn.) who had 19 points. Newcomers Brett Sorenson (FY, Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South HS) and Andy Grzesiak-Grimm (FY, Wyoming, Minn./St. Francis HS) each chipped in 11, while Nate Alm (SR, Eden Prairie, Minn.) finished with 10.
Northwestern (6-2 overall) was led by Stephen Hanson (JR, Plymouth, Minn./Maranatha HS), who led all players with 25 points on a 11-for-16 performance from the field. Also scoring in double figures for the Eagles were Mike Schramm (FY, Roseville, Minn./Mounds View HS) and Lecheler, who recorded 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Both teams traded baskets for most of the first half. The score was tied up at 23-23 with 4:38 remaining when the Auggies went on a 8-0 run to claim an eight-point advantage, their largest lead of the afternoon. Northwestern would come back, scoring six of the final eight points of the half, as Augsburg took a 33-29 lead into the locker room.
The second half continued much like the first, as the score was tied eight times and there were 13 lead changes between the two evenly matched teams. The Auggies were down by two with 29 seconds remaining, when head coach Aaron Griess took a timeout to set up a play. Cassens drove the ball to the basket and was put on the line with 22 seconds left on the clock. Cassens sank both free throws to tie things up at 74-74. Northwestern's Lecheler took the ball down the court and hit a leaning jumper from the elbow to give Northwestern a two-point advantage with only two seconds left on the clock. The Auggies called another timeout to set up a last-chance play. Grzesiak-Grimm attempted a half-court shot as the buzzer was sounding but it missed strong off the glass.
For the game, Augsburg shot a season-high 52.7 percent (29-for-55) from the field and outrebounded Northwestern 26-23, including an 8-4 margin in offensive rebounds. Northwestern also shot a season-high field-goal percentage, connecting on 61.8 percent (34-of-55) of their shots from the floor.
Augsburg is off for the holiday break and will return to action on Saturday (1/3) as it hosts a men's and women's doubleheader against St. Olaf College at Si Melby Hall. Women's action begins at 1 p.m. and the men tip off at 3 p.m.
