SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—The Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball fell to Augustana for the second time this season, this time 98-82 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference/Sanford Health Tournament Championship. The loss was only the third loss on the season for the Dragons, who will now enter the NCAA Tournament with a record of 32-3. Augustana will enter the tournament with a record of 30-2.
 
After falling behind by 16 points entering halftime, the Dragons cut Augustana's lead to as little as six points at 86-80 with 2:59 left to play, but the Vikings responded with a 9-0 run of their own to seal the win.
 
Senior guard Jordan Riewer and junior guard Tyler Vaughan were named to the NSIC All Tournament team for their performances over the last three days.
 
The top-two scoring offenses in the NSIC displayed their shooting prowess in the game as Augustana shot 53.6 percent (37-of-69) from the field and 53.6 percent (15-of-28) from the three-point line. MSUM shot 50 percent (30-of-60) from the field and 36.7 percent (11-of-30) from three. Augustana, who outrebounds its opponents by a margin of 7.9 heading into the night, had the edge 39-28 on the glass.
 
The Dragons got a big boost from its bench tonight, with freshman guard Tanner Kretchman scoring a career high 16 points and senior forward Urbane Bingham chipping in 14 points. Riewer led the team in scoring with 19 points and tied a career high with nine assists. Senior guard Prescott Williams led the team in rebounds with six and scored six points.
 
The score was tied seven times in the first 12 minutes of the game, as both teams hit big shots in a back-and-forth battle. Junior guard Ngijol Songolo hit a three point from the right wing to give MSUM a 9-6 lead, followed by back-to-back three's from Augustana's Tanner Odegaard, then a three from sophomore guard Aaron Lien from the right wing to make the score 12-12. The Vikings ended the half on a 15-5 run to take a 49-36 lead heading into the break.
 
Augustana's hot start carried over to the second half as its lead grew to 18 after Daniel Jansen scored his first points of the night to make the score 58-40 with 15:59 left.
 
Lien and Kretchman provided a spark for MSUM near the mid-point of the half as Lien grabbed a steal and finished with a dunk on a fast break and Kretchman drained a three-pointer in back-to-back possessions. The spark put the Dragons within 10 at 68-58. Kretchman provided 11 points down the stretch, including three three-pointers to keep the Dragons close. His last three put the Dragons within six, but Augustana came away with the victory in the end.
 
The Dragons will all but certainly be the No. 2 seed in the central region of the NCAA Tournament, which will be announced on Sunday and will begin on March 14. MSUM will host a viewing party of the selection show at Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse on Sunday at 9 p.m.
 
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Jordan Riewer's high scoring output as a freshman came when he scored 25 against Southwest Minn. St. in the NSIC Championship game on Mar. 4, 2012. Tanner Kretchman got his freshman season high (so far) with his 16 points tonight.