ST. PETER, Minn. -- The Augsburg University women's basketbal team opened Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 65-42 loss to nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus College on Wednesday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Gustavus Adolphus 65, Augsburg 42
LOCATION: Gus Young Court, St. Peter, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 1-4 overall (0-1 MIAC), Gustavus 6-0 overall (1-0 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The game was a close one early, with Augsburg jumping out to a 10-5 lead in the opening five minutes of play. But the Gusties closed the quarter with an 11-2 run to take a 16-12 lead at the end of the quarter, and never trailed again after that. The Gusties outscored the Auggies by a 25-3 margin in the third quarter to pull away, leading by as many as 31 points in the second half.
• Augsburg was led by Katie Manecke (SR, Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS), who scored 11 points with two rebounds and two assists. Amira LaDuke (JR, Cass Lake, Minn./Cass Lake-Bena HS) scored 10 points with a team-high five rebounds.
• Wakinyela Bear (JR, Morrison, Colo./Meskwaki (Iowa) HS) scored nine points with four rebounds and three assists, and Saylor Gallagher (SO, Mounds View, Minn./Irondale HS) and Melanie Delestrez (JR, Lake Stevens, Wash./Lake Stevens HS) scored five points each.
• Gustavus connected on 43.1 percent (25-of-58) from the field, compared to 35.3 percent (18-of-51) for Augsburg. The Gusties outrebounded the Auggies by a 32-24 margin.
 
FOR THE FOES
• Syd Hauger scored 14 points to lead Gustavus, ranked No. 10 in the latest D3hoops.com and No. 9 in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division III national polls.
• Emma Kniefel scored nine points with five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
UP NEXT
• Augsburg hosts Macalester College in an MIAC contest on Saturday (12/7) at 3 p.m. at Si Melby Hall.