MINNEAPOLIS – Using a second-half scoring surge and a balanced offensive effort with four players in double figures, the Augsburg University women's basketball team secured a crucial 80-70 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over Hamline on Saturday afternoon at Si Melby Hall to extend its winning streak to 12 and move to 12-0 in conference play.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 80, Hamline 70
LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 12-3 overall (12-0 MIAC), Hamline 11-4 overall (9-3 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Auggies took shots from beyond the arc early and often, taking five threes and making four of them before the midpoint of the first quarter. At the end of one, the Auggies held a narrow 19-17 lead. The Pipers jumped back on top in the second and pushed the lead to as many as seven, but the Auggies managed to cut the deficit to just one heading into halftime.
• The Auggies regained the advantage less than four minutes into the third quarter in what proved to be the final lead change of the game. At the end of three, Augsburg held a 56-48 lead. The Pipers made it a four-point game at the 4:29 mark in the fourth quarter, but the Auggies responded quickly and kept Hamline at arm's length the rest of the way en route to the 10-point win.
• Anja Smith (SO, Kewaskum, Wis./Saint Mary's Springs HS) led the way for the Auggies, hitting seven of her 14 shots for 21 points and grabbing a team-high seven rebounds, two steals, and a block. Jaley Coplin (JR, Shakoppe, Minn./Shakopee HS) was extremely efficient, scoring 20 points on six of 10 shooting from the floor with all six makes coming from three-point range. She added five rebounds, a steal, and an assist.
• Jen Masello (SR, Darien, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) added 14 points, four rebounds, two blocks, two steals, and a team-high seven assists. Kalena Myers (SO, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) also finished in double figures, tallying 12 points, five assists, two steals, and a rebound.
• Selena Lor (SR, Winona, Minn./Winona HS) finished with nine points, four assists, three steals, and two rebounds.
• The Auggies took advantage of turnovers throughout the game, scoring 12 points off 18 Hamline turnovers while only committing four of their own.
• Both teams shot the ball well from downtown, with the Auggies hitting 13 of their 30 shots (43.3%) and the Pipers knocking down nine of 19 attempts (47.4%).

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• Following the game, both Masello and Smith rank within the top five in several categories of the MIAC overall statistics rankings. Masello ranks fourth in points per-game (15.5) and second in rebounds per-game (9.2) while Smith ranks second in points per-game (15.9) and field goal percentage (52.4%). Coplin currently sits fifth in the conference with a three-point field goal percentage of 41.7.
• The Auggies' 12-0 to start to MIAC play this season extends the new program record for most MIAC wins in a row to start the season, besting the previous record of 7-0 set in 2018-19.

FOR THE FOES
• Lydia Lecher led the Pipers with 17 points while Alyssa Williamson scored 11 and Tess Hauer added 10.

UP NEXT
• The Auggies are set to host Bethel in MIAC action on Wednesday (1/26) at 7 p.m. at Si Melby Hall.