NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- The Augsburg College men's basketball team will be making a return to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoffs after posting a 69-66 win over St. Olaf College in the regular-season finale on Saturday. With the win, Augsburg has now qualified for the MIAC playoffs in seven of the last nine seasons.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 69, St. Olaf 66
LOCATION: Skoglund Center, Northfield, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 12-13 overall (10-10 MIAC), St. Olaf 11-14 overall (9-11 MIAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Augsburg shot a season-best 56.5 percent (12-of-23) from three-point range, which proved to be the difference-maker in the game. The Auggies' 13 three-pointers tied a season-high mark. Augsburg also played great team basketball in the win, recording 20 assists on 24 made baskets.
• The game was a tight one from start to finish, with neither team ever able to extend their lead to double digits. A St. Olaf jump shot with 47 seconds remaining cut the Augsburg lead to just one at 67-66. Harry Sonie (JR, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) hit a jumper on the next possession to extend the Augsburg lead back to three. The Oles had three shot attempts in the final 12 seconds, but weren't able to make any of them fall as Augsburg claimed the important MIAC win.
• Augsburg finished with four players in double figures, led by Richie Perea (SR, Colorado Springs, Colo./Wasson HS), who scored 16 points, shooting an impressive 6-for-8 from the field and 4-of-4 from three-point range. Perea tied a season-best with nine assists, while adding a steal and a pair of rebounds.
• Nick Sabatke (JR, Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) had an outstanding game for the Auggies, finishing with a season-best 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds, to go along with a pair of assists. Sabatke has now scored in double figures in three straight games.
• Also scoring in double figures for Augsburg were Collin Olmscheid (JR, Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS) and Chuckie Smith (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS), who scored 13 and 11 points respectively. Olmscheid added six rebounds and an assist, while Smith finished a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and added three rebounds and three assists.
• For the game, Augsburg shot 46.2 percent (24-of-52) from the field, while St. Olaf converted on 44.1 (26-of-59) of its shot attempts.
• The Auggies claimed a 33-30 advantage on the boards.

FOR THE FOES
• St. Olaf finished with four players in double figures, led by Austin Majeskie, who finished with 14 points, four assists and two steals.
• On the boards, the Oles were paced by Robert Tobroxen, who pulled down a game-high eight rebounds to go along with 11 points and two assists.

UP NEXT
• The Auggies return to Northfield on Tuesday (2/21) at 7 p.m., taking on Carleton College in MIAC playoff quarterfinal action.