MINNEAPOLIS -- JJ Semanko (FY, New Hope, Minn./Hopkins HS) and Elias Batala (JR, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS) scored 22 points each for the Augsburg University men's basketball team, but a series of scoring runs by Central College gave the visitors an 81-73 nonconference victory on Saturday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Central (Iowa) 81, Augsburg 73
LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 2-1 overall, Central 3-1 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Central scored the first 12 points in the first 4:23 of the game, but Augsburg was able to rally back and take its only lead of the game -- 23-21 with 7:07 remaining in the first half. The Dutch then used a 15-3 run to take a double-digit lead in the final minute of the first half. Central led by as many as 12 points in the contest, and though the Auggies were able to cut the advantage to just two points halfway through the second half, Central maintained the lead the rest of the way.
• Semanko scored 22 points, adding seven rebounds, an assist, steal and two blocked shots. Batala scored 22 points with six rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
• Hanif Muhammad (SO, Minneapolis, Minn./Breck HS) scored eight points, and Daveion Hart (FY, Brooklyn Park, Minn./Hopkins HS) scored seven points with six rebounds and three assists.

FOR THE FOES
• Alex Ruba led Central with 22 points, adding seven rebounds.
• Carson Jones scored 18 points with five rebounds.

UP NEXT
• Augsburg faces Marian University (Wis.) in a nonconference game on Tuesday (11/18) at 7 p.m., at the Justagame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.