WINONA, Minn. -- The Augsburg University men's basketball team led by as many as 19 points in the game, but needed to hold off a Saint Mary's second-half rally to secure another important Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory on Monday night at SMU gym.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 86, Saint Mary's 79
LOCATION: SMU Gym, Winona, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 8-3 overall (4-2 MIAC), Saint Mary's 6-5 overall (3-3 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The game was a battle of runs and momentum. Every time Augsburg made a run and seemed to have the game in control, Saint Mary's would put together a run of its own. After leading by 19 early in the second-half, SMU was able to cut Augsburg's lead to just two points mid-way through the frame. The Auggies built the lead back to nine before the Cardinals cut the Auggie advantage back to 82-79 with 1:44 to play. The Auggies were able to hit 4-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to seal the victory.
• Augsburg was again led by Booker Coplin (SR, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS). Coplin posted his third straight double-double, and seventh of the season, with 23 points and a season-best 14 rebounds. He also tied an Auggie career-high with four blocked shots, while dishing out six assists.
• Henry Mulligan (SR, Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City HS) had an outstanding shooting night for the Auggies, finishing 7-for-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from three point range for an 18 point night.
• Playing all 40 minutes, Matt Carik (JR, Rogers, Minn./Rogers HS) scored 17 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, while dishing out six assists.
• Also finishing in double figures for Augsburg was Joe Palmer (FY, Faribault, Minn./Faribault HS), who scored an Auggie career-best with 11 points.
• Percentage-wise, Augsburg has its best three-point shooting performance of the season (52.0 percent, 13-of-25) and its second-best performance overall from the floor (55.6 percent, 30-of-54). Saint Mary's shot 46.5 percent (33-of-71) from the floor and 47.6 percent (10-of-31) from three point range.
• SMU posted a 35-31 advantage on the boards, but Augsburg was able to convert 13-of-16 from the free throw line, while the Cardinals were only able to hit 3-of-7.

FOR THE FOES
• Saint Mary's was led by Eli Cave, who scored a game-high 32 points, while adding nine assists, six rebounds and five steals.
• Kevin Gleason and Sawyer Rosner chipped in 10 points apiece for the Cardinals.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• With the win, Augsburg makes it eight in a row over the Cardinals. The Auggies are 20-1 over their last 21 games versus SMU.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg returns to action on Wednesday (1/8) at 7 p.m., traveling to Arden Hills, Minn. to take on Bethel University.
• Saint Mary's also returns to action on Wednesday (1/8), hosting Gustavus Adolphus College at 7 p.m.