BOXSCORE MINNEAPOLIS -- Tyler Schmidt (JR, Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson HS) scored a career-high 27 points to lead an Augsburg College second-half rally that fell just short, as the Auggies dropped a 79-77 nonconference men's basketball contest to Bethany Lutheran College on Thursday night at Si Melby Hall.

Schmidt finished 6-for-10 from beyond the three-point arc and a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line, while adding six rebounds and three assists to lead Augsburg (5-3 overall). Andy Grzesiak-Grimm (SR, Wyoming, Minn./St. Francis HS) scored a season-high 20 points to go along with a game-high nine rebounds and five assists for the Auggies.

Bethany Lutheran (2-6 overall) was led by the duo of Alex Weldon and Derek Peterson, who each finished with 16 points.

After trailing 41-25 at the intermission, Augsburg put together a thrilling second-half rally that fell just short. Schmidt shined in the second half for the Auggies, scoring 18 of his career-high 27 points. He hit three 3-pointers in a two-and-a-half minute span to spark the Auggies on a 13-3 run and cut the Viking lead to 54-47 with just over 12 minutes to play. A David Weber (SO, Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) three-pointer at the 4:18 mark cut the Bethany Lutheran lead to 67-63 with 4:18 to play and gave the Auggies the momentum.

Anthony Humphrey (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle HS) hit a huge three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining on the clock to bring the Auggies within three, at 78-75 but Bethany Lutheran's Patrick Garvin hit 1-of-2 at the free-throw line to extend the lead back to four. Andy Seidlitz (SO, New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) hit  a jumper with one second left on the clock to bring the score to 79-77, but that's where it would stay as the Augsburg comeback fell just short.

For the game, Augsburg outshot and outrebounded its opponent. The Auggies converted on 51.0 percent (25-of-49) of their shots, while Bethany Lutheran hit 45.3 percent (29-of-64) from the floor. The Auggies claimed a 36-28 advantage on the boards but struggled at the free-throw line, only able to convert on 18-of-32.

Augsburg returns to action on Monday (12/19) at 7 p.m., when it travels to San Juan, Puerto Rico to take part in the San Juan Classic in a contest against Randolph College (Va.).