WBK: Season-Low Shooting Hands Vikings A Loss

An 18-point first half-deficit for Augustana was too much to overcome on a poor shooting night and Concordia-St. Paul handed the Vikings a 59-47 loss.  Augustana’s suffered its third loss of the season and have an overall record of 14-3 with a 10-3 mark in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference; Concordia-St. Paul improves to 12-5, 10-3 NSIC.

The Vikings and Golden Bears are now tied atop the NSIC standings, but Concordia-St. Paul claims two of Augustana’s three losses.  Augsutana shot a season-low 29 percent from the field and tied another low with just four three-point field goals.

The Vikings entered the intermission down 18, the only time the Vikings have trailed at the half this season.  Eight turnovers and 22.9 percent shooting from the field caused such a large deficit.

The first half was a game of runs and the Golden Bears staked claim to the larger runs.  Augustana owned an 11-3 lead after Lydia Nelson and Emily Schulte but CU answered with a 12-0 run led by Anika Whiting.

Consecutive three-pointers cut the lead to 18-17 but Concordia-St. Paul ripped off a second run, this time 16-0 and the Vikings were in a 34-19 hole.  The Vikings traded buckets, but an Amanda Barton three gave the Golden Bears the largest lead of the game, 18, and CU entered halftime up 39-21.

Concordia-St. Paul shot 48.4 percent in the first half giving them a large cushion and was led by Whiting’s 10 points.  Nelson led the Vikings with 10 as well in the first stanza.

The Vikings never cut the deficit below double digits with its smallest second half margin at 10 points with just 2:36 remaining in the game.

Nelson finished with  15 points to lead the Vikings.  Alex Feeney recorded her fifth straight game with 10 or more rebounds, pulling down a game-high 12 boards.

Whiting scored 14 for the Golden Bears and Barton recorded a double-double, 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Augustana continues its road trip with a 4 p.m. date at Minnesota State on Jan. 26.