BOXSCORE MINNEAPOLIS -- Abbey Luger (SO, Oakdale, Minn./North St. Paul HS) scored a career-high 21 points to lead the Augsburg College women's basketball team, but it wasn't enough as the Auggies droped a 73-68 contest to Hamline University in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action on Wednesday night at Si Melby Hall.

Luger led Augsburg (6-11 overall, 4-10 MIAC) with her career-high 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor, while adding four rebounds, four steals and a pair of assists. Anne Skriba (SR, La Crosse, Wis./Fond du Lac HS) also had a standout night for the Auggies, posting her first career double-double, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while adding three assists and two blocked shots. Jolene Blood (JR, Mounds View, Minn./Irondale HS) posted five assists, her fifth five-plus assist performance of the season, while adding six points and six rebounds.

Hamline (7-10 overall, 7-7 MIAC) was had three players finish with identical 17 point performances, led by Jordan Sammons, who posted a double-double, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

The contest was a battle from start to finish -- the game featured eight lead changes, four tied scores and neither team ever leading by more than six points. After a cold-shooting first half, Augsburg had one of its best shooting nights in the second half, connecting on 57.1 percent from the floor and 62.5 percent from three-point range.

Augsburg's largest lead of the second half came on a three-pointer by Katie Ahlstrom (SR, St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) at the 10:05 mark, giving Augsburg a 50-44 advantage. The Pipers countered with an 11-0 run to go up 55-50 with 6:22 to play. The Auggies retook the lead off a Skriba jumper at the 3:52 mark, but Hamline went up 57-56 on a layup on its next possession. Augsburg was able to cut the Piper lead to one on multiple occassions, but Hamline hit 6-of-6 from the free-throw line in the final 40 seconds to seal the 73-68 win.

For the game, Augsburg outshot Hamline 43.1 percent (25-of-58) to 39.7 percent (25-of-63) from the field. The Auggies also outrebounded the Pipers 41-38, but Hamline claimed a narrow advantage from beyond the arc, connecting on 9-of-21, while Augsburg was only able to hit 6-of-16.

Augsburg and Hamline both return to action on Saturday (1/26) at 1 p.m., with the Auggies traveling up to Moorhead, Minn. to take on league-leading Concordia College, while the Pipers travel accross town to take on the University of St. Thomas.