MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Gustavus men's basketball team continued to dominate in conference play, winning their third league game of the season, and second by more than 30 points. The Gusties cruised past Augsburg on the road, 93-61, improving their win streak to four.
From first tip, it seemed that the MIAC battle in Minneapolis would be a tight race to the finish, but the Gusties built separation in a strong second half to maintain their undefeated league record. The lead changed seven times in the first, but a three pointer from
Carson Koch ignited a scoring run for the Gusties, who went into halftime with a 44-36 lead.
Gustavus was lights out after the break, getting three steals and forcing four Augsburg turnovers in the opening minutes of the second half. The Gusties held Augsburg to just 25 points in the second, and grew their own lead to as many as 32, including the final, 93-61. Gustavus held Augsburg scoreless through the final minutes of the game, rounding out the win with an 8-0 run.
"We scored at a really high efficiency in the first half and really took care of business on offense, but defensively, we didn't protect the inside of 15-feet to start the game. They really hurt us on paint touches and scoring in the paint in the first. I think the difference in the game was really made by our adjustment in the second to guard and protect the inside, while also continuing to play efficient offense," said Head Coach
Justin DeGrood. "That's what I was most pleased with in today's game — our ability to buckle down defensively in the way that we needed to, but also share the ball offensively. Our ability to pass and move and not necessarily care about who individually was getting shots today led to our overall team success in the win."
The Gusties shot 51.4 percent from the floor with eight three pointers and went 9-for-12 from the free throw line. The defense held the Auggies to a 42.6 shooting percentage and forced 13 turnovers. Augsburg struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only one three on 13 attempts. The visitors also controlled the boards, out-rebounding the home team 42-31.
Five Gusties reached double figure scoring, led by
Spencer Swanson with 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting. Swanson also led the team with four assists.
Wyatt Olson was next with 14 points, while
Evan Wieker and
Jonah Anderson each posted 11.
Brady Kienitz rounded out the top five with a 10 point afternoon. Anderson posted a team-high four steals, while Wieker controlled the boards with nine rebounds.
The Gusties return home on Monday for a quick turnaround, hosting St. Scholastica for a 7 p.m. tip at Gus Young Court.
