Men's Basketball 2/4/09 -- Concordia-Moorhead 69, Augsburg 64 (OT)
MINNEAPOLIS (2/4/09) -- Augsburg College's Nate Alm (SR, Eden Prairie, Minn.) led his squad with 20 points and 10 rebounds for his second-consecutive double-double, but the Auggie men's basketball team dropped a 69-64 overtime heartbreaker to Concordia College-Moorhead on Wednesday night at Si Melby Hall.
Augsburg (12-8 overall, 10-5 MIAC) was led by Alm, who continued his scoring dominance of late, posting his eighth consecutive game scoring 14 points or more, despite fouling out with just over two minutes left in regulation. Also scoring in double figures for the Auggies were Jon Cassens (JR, Prior Lake, Minn.) and Andy Grzesiak-Grimm (FY, Wyoming, Minn./St. Francis HS). Cassens posted 12 points and a game-high five assists, while Grzesiak-Grimm recorded 10 points, six boards and two steals.
Concordia (8-13 overall, 5-11 MIAC) was led by Eric Hartmann (FY, Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson HS) and John Fraase (SO, Bismarck, N.D./Bismarck Century HS). Hartman scored a career-high 17 points and four rebounds, while Fraase led the Cobbers on the boards with 11 rebounds and eight points.
After giving up a 7-2 run to start the game, Augsburg rallied with a 15-4 run to take a six-point lead at the 6:15 mark of a three-pointer by Matthew Quammen (SO, Victoria, Minn./Holy Family HS). The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half until Cassens hit two free throws with 36 seconds left to give the Auggies a 33-26 lead at the intermission.
The Auggies came out strong in the second half, expanding their lead to a 17-point advantage off a layup by Cory Polta (FY, Spring Lake Park, Minn.) at the 11:33 mark. Concordia turned up their intensity and outscored Augsburg 23-6 over the remainder of the half, using a key jumper in the paint with one second left to send the game into overtime. The Cobbers outscored the Auggies 15-10 during the overtime, going a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc as they claimed the come-from-behind victory.
For game, Augsburg shot 41.9 percent (26-of-62) from the floor, while Concordia shot 38.6 percent (22-of-57). The Cobbers claimed a 43-39 advantage on the boards and capitalized on their free throw attempts, where they connected on 19-of-31, while the Auggies were only able to convert on 8-of-13.
Augsburg returns to action on Saturday (2/7), when it travels to Macalester for a men's and women's doubleheader. Women's action begins at 1 p.m. and the men tip off at 3 p.m.
