MINNEAPOLIS – Playing its first game in nearly a month, the Augsburg University women's basketball team got the new year rolling in a big way on Thursday evening with a dominant 75-54 win over the College of St. Scholastica in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play at Si Melby Hall.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 75, St. Scholastica 54
LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 7-3 overall (4-3 MIAC), St. Scholastica 0-9 overall (0-7 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Auggies led wire-to-wire in the game, working their way out to a 21-8 lead in the first quarter. The Auggie lead continued to grow in the second quarter, reaching as many as 23 points before the Saints cut it to 21 at 44-23 at halftime.
• The third quarter was more of the same as the Augsburg advantage never dipped below 20 points. At the final quarter break, Augsburg led 66-39. The Saints outscored the Auggies 15-9 in the final frame, but it proved to be all they could do as the Auggies cruised the 21-point rout.
• Anja Smith (JR, Kewaskum, Wis./Saint Mary's Springs HS) notched her third 20-plus point performance of the season, finishing with 21 points on 9-17 shooting and grabbing five rebounds and a steal. Kalena Myers (JR, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) reached double figures for the sixth time this season, scoring 13 points on 5-11 shooting while adding three assists and three steals.  Jaley Coplin (SR, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS) was the only other Auggie in double figures with 10 points on an efficient 4-5 shooting from the field.
• Alli Born (FY, Otsego, Minn./Rogers HS) contributed eight points and five rebounds off the bench while Samaiya Buchanan (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./Hopkins HS) and Grace Eastman (SR, Elk River, Minn./St. Francis HS) added six points each.
• The Auggies were much more efficient than the Saints with their shooting numbers, knocking down 29 of their 64 attempts (45.3%) compared to St. Scholastica's 17-of-54 (31.5%) performance. Turnovers played a key role in the game with Augsburg winning the turnover battle 25-17 and cashing those turnovers in for 31 points while St. Scholastica managed just eight. Augsburg also dominated down low, outscoring the Saints 38-12 in the painted area.

FOR THE FOES
• Miranda Broberg led the Saints with 13 points while Lexi Imdieke was just behind her with 11.

UP NEXT
• The Auggies will host Hamline University on Saturday, January 7 at 3 pm as the second half of a doubleheader with the men's team.