Box Score SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Dragon women's basketball team lost their third conference game in a row 98-66 to the Augustana College Vikings Sunday afternoon at the Elmen Center. This loss drops the Dragons to 4-5, 1-4 in the NSIC, while the Vikings improve to 7-3, 4-2 in the NSIC.
Augusta played the first half strong, with Molly Hayes making the first seven points for the Vikings. Hayes led all scorers in the first half with 14 points, followed by teammate Faith Tinklenberg with 12. These Vikings teammates shot a combined 9-for-13 from the field, and 5-for-9 from three.
The Vikings played tough double-team defense on the Dragon guards, opening up scoring opportunities for the Dragons down low.
Taylor Shepard took and
Angie Jetvig top-of-the-key pass for a left-handed layup, cutting the Viking lead 12-9.
The Dragons did pull together a 10-0 run early in the second half, as
Angela Christianson split two defenders in the lane and made a scoop shot from her waist to cut the Vikings lead 62-41.
The Vikings offense was too much for the Dragons, at one point opening up a 33-point lead. All five of the Vikings starters finished in double-figures: Hayes (26), Tinklenberg (16), Lydia Nelson (16), Shaunteva Ashley (13), and Alex Feeney (10).
The Dragons were limited in second-chance opportunities throughout the entire competition, as the Vikings outrebounded the Dragons 37-30, with the Dragons only hauling down 10 offensive rebounds. The Vikings took advantage of this rebounding discrepancy, scoring 11 second-chance points to the Dragons' 6. Turnovers once again were problematic, as the Vikings were able to score 26 points off 18 MSUM turnovers.
MSUM finished the game 18-for-50, 36%, from the field, 3-for-13, 23.1%, from three, and 27-for-36, 75%, from the free throw line. The Dragons were led in scoring by Christianson with 15.
Augustana shot 34-for-64, 53.1%, from the field, 12-for-30, 40%, from three, and 18-for-23, 78.3%, from the free throw line.
The Dragons will come back off the holiday break on January 2 for a home matchup against the Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks at 6:00.
Steve D'Eustachio's Stat of the Game: The last time the Dragon women were below .500 at the Christmas break was the 2005-2006 season when they were 5-6.
