WINONA, Minn. -- The Augsburg University men's basketball team dominated Saint Mary's University with a 97-62 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory on Wednesday night. The Auggies secured the win with a strong offensive performance, hitting 17 three-pointers and dishing out a season-best 27 assists on 37 made field goals. The visiting team's bench contributed significantly with 55 points, while their defense forced 15 turnovers from the Cardinals.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 97, Saint Mary's 62
LOCATION: David R. Thies Arena, Winona, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 15-7 overall (8-5 MIAC), Saint Mary's 1-21 overall (0-13 MIAC)

GAME RECAP
Augsburg opened the first half with assertive play, quickly overcoming an early deficit to seize control. The visitors established a lead with a flurry of fast-break points and strong perimeter shooting. Hanif Muhammad contributed significantly with a steal and a fast-break layup at 10:19, helping the Auggies pull away. Muhammad's 13-point performance was part of his consistent scoring, marking the 11th time this season and sixth in the last eight games that he has reached double figures.

The visiting team extended its lead with a series of fast-break points, including a layup by Muhammad at 10:19. Augsburg's scoring was punctuated by a 3-pointer from Trent Gomez at the 2:44 mark, helping them secure a 48-26 lead by the end of the half. Gomez's performance was notable as he scored a season-high 15 points, and his five 3-pointers tied a career-high.The bench played a crucial role, adding 18 points, while the team capitalized on their defensive efforts, forcing turnovers and converting them into points.

Augsburg extended its lead over the Cardinals with a dominant second half, fueled by a series of successful three-pointers and solid defense, outscoring the home team 49-36. Rodriguez hit a 3-pointer at 16:58, followed by a jumper from JJ Semanko to keep the momentum. Muhammad added another three, extending Augsburg's advantage to 56-30 at 15:43. Augsburg's offense continued to click, with Gomez connecting on three 3-point shots, the last at 12:09, pushing the score to 69-41. Elias Batala's defensive rebound and subsequent layup made it 66-41 at 12:12. Batala's consistent performance, scoring 12 points, saw him scoring in double figures for the 18th time this season and sixth game in a row.

AUGSBURG PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
• Hanif Muhammad: 13 points, 3/5 three-pointers made, 2 steals
• Ali Axmed: 12 points, 5/6 field goals made, season-high 7 rebounds  
• Elias Batala: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists  
• Trent Gomez: 15 points, 5/8 three-pointers made

SAINT MARY'S PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
• Reid Klug: 11 points, 5 field goals made, 1 block 
• Mitchell Hill: 12 points, 3/3 free throws made, 3 steals  
• Sawyer Markham: 10 points, 4 assists, 6 rebounds 

UP NEXT
• Looking ahead, the Auggies will face St. Olaf College on Saturday, Feb. 14. The game will take place at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis, with tip-off set for 3 p.m.