MINNEAPOLIS -- Elias Batala (JR, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS) scored 14 of his game-high 24 points in the second half, as the Augsburg University men's basketball team rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to score an 80-69 nonconference victory over Simpson College on Friday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 80, Simpson (Iowa) 69
LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 2-0 overall, Simpson 0-1 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Trailing 38-29 at halftime, Augsburg outscored Simpson by a 51-31 margin in the second half to claim the win. In addition to Batala's 14 second-half points, Ali Axmed (JR, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS) scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half. 
• Batala scored 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field, adding five rebounds and three assists.
• JJ Semanko (FY, New Hope, Minn./Hopkins HS) scored 12 points with five rebounds and three assists, and Isaac Rabey (SR, Hastings, Minn./Hastings HS) scored 11 points with 15 rebounds and a blocked shot.
• As a team, Augsburg hit 50.8 percent (32-of-63) from the field, including a 61.3-percent (19-of-31) clip in the second half. Meanwhile, the Storm hit 37.0 percent (27-of-73) from the field in the game. Augsburg outrebounded Simpson by a 41-39 margin.

FOR THE FOES
• Simpson was led by Levi Gurwell, who scored 17 points with five rebounds and three assists.
• Cam Henderson scored 10 points with three steals.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg hosts Central College (Iowa) in a nonconference game on Saturday (11/15) at 5 p.m. at Si Melby Hall.