TACOMA, Wash. — Using an 8-0 run late in the second half to take a 10-point lead, the Augsburg University men's basketball team opened its season with a 75-68 victory at the University of Puget Sound on Friday night. The Auggies scored 50 points in the paint and turned 17 Loggers turnovers into 27 points. The teams were tied 35-35 at halftime before the Auggies outscored the Loggers 40-33 in the second half.
Hanif Muhammad led all players with 26 points in just 14 minutes of game action, while
JJ Semanko scored 20 points.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 75, Puget Sound (Wash.) 68
LOCATION: Memorial Fieldhouse, Tacoma, Wash.
RECORDS: Augsburg 1-0 overall, Puget Sound 0-1 overall
GAME RECAP
The Loggers built an early 12-4 lead, but the Auggies got points in the paint from
Elias Batala and
Hanif Muhammad before
JJ Semanko scored eight straight Auggie points to cut the gap to 14-12. After the Loggers moved back in front 22-17, Batala made two free throws, Semanko hit a 3-pointer to tie the game and
Keenan Rodriguez added a 3-pointer at 8:25 to give the Auggies a 25-22 lead.
The Loggers answered with seven straight points for a 29-25 lead, and the Auggies broke their scoring drought when Hart finished a layup at 3:46; Muhammad followed with a layup that tied the game at 29. Rodriguez scored inside and Muhammad added a layup at 1:33 to put the Auggies ahead 33-32, Semanko added a jumper for a 35-32 lead, and Trevon Hamilton's 3-pointer with 37 seconds left sent the half to the break tied 35-35.
The Auggies struck first in the second half, with steals by
Sam Mickelson and Semanko leading to layups by Muhammad and Batala for a 39-35 lead, but the Loggers answered with the next 10 points to move ahead 45-39. After the Loggers pushed the margin to 50-45, the Auggies worked back through
Keenan Rodriguez's free throws, a Muhammad layup and
Ali Axmed's two free throws to go in front 51-50.
The Loggers later led 54-52 before Hart, Batala and Semanko helped the Auggies score eight straight points for a 60-54 advantage, and after the Loggers closed to 62-60, Muhammad hit a 3-pointer, Hart scored inside and Muhammad added another layup to make it 70-60. The Loggers cut the gap to 72-68 on Zane Miller's 3-pointer and three Trevon Hamilton free throws, but Batala's layup with :28 left and a late Muhammad free throw helped the Auggies finish off a 75-68 win.
AUGSBURG PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
•
Hanif Muhammad: 26 points, 12-for-19 from the field, 2 assists
•
JJ Semanko: 20 points, 8-for-15 from the field, 6 rebounds, 4 steals
•
Daveion Hart: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks
•
Elias Batala: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks
PUGET SOUND PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
• Trevon Hamilton: 22 points, 8-for-10 at the free-throw line, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
• Zane Miller: 13 points, 3 3-pointers, 5 assists, 6 rebounds
• Ian Cook: 10 points, 9 rebounds, 5-for-8 from the field
• Hugo Rutherfurd: 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block
UP NEXT
The Auggies visit Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 9 p.m. (Central time) at Olson Gymnasium in Tacoma, Wash.
