Dec. 29, 2005

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – [box score] With just four seconds left on the clock, Augustana College's Nick Olson hit a jumper to give the Vikings an 84-83 win over the Bemidji State University men's basketball team in the final game of the 2005 Sioux Valley Clinic Holiday Classic at the Elmen Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The foul-plagued Beavers squandered away a six-point halftime lead in a game that saw 16 lead changes and 10 ties, with seven coming in the second half alone.

The Vikings got out of the gates early taking a four-point lead (6-2) just 1:46 in to the game. But within seven minutes, Bemidji State would rally for 15 of the next 23 points to swing the momentum and the four-point lead in its favor as the balanced BSU offensive attack saw five players record at least a point during the run, with Sherwin Johnson (Sr., G/F, Macon, Ga.) and Derik Hollyfield (Sr., G, Aurora, Ill.) leading the way with four points apiece.

The Beavers held the lead for the remainder of the first half extending it to as many as 10 points (34-24) when Hollyfield hit the first of his two three-point field goals with just over five minutes to play in the first stanza.

Augustana would bounce back to knot the game at 34-34 scoring 10 unanswered points during the next 2:08 while BSU went 0-4 and turned the ball over twice.

The Beavers responded with an 8-0 run of their own coasting to a six-point (42-36) halftime lead.

Bemidji State came out of the break flat and when Spencer Carter (Sr., F, Chicago, Ill.) was ejected for a flagrant intentional foul just 20 second into the second half, all momentum switched in the favor of the hosting Augustana team. BSU's six-point halftime lead disintegrated into a one-point deficit (46-45) in a matter of just three minutes.

The teams would trade baskets and the lead during the next nine minutes.

BSU senior Alvin Muse (G, South Holland, Ill.) ignited one last BSU scoring surge when he sandwiched a pair of three-pointers around a Duane Fields (Sr., G, Los Angeles, Calif.) triple helping BSU to a 11-3 run and giving it an eight-point advantage (81-73) with under five minutes to play in regulation. But BSU could not hold off the Vikings. The hosts scored the final nine points of the game, with four coming from the line. Olson's game-winner with just four second remaining gave Augustana the 84-83 victory.

The Beavers had one last chance, but would turn the ball over as time ran out, failing to get a shot off.

BSU was led by senior guard Will Watson (Baton Rouge, La.) who netted a career-best 19 points on 5-of-10 from the field hitting five threes and shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the line. Three other BSU players managed double-figure scoring totals with Hollyfield collecting 14 while Fields posted 13 and Muse scored 12.

Manual Guzman (Sr., C, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) led BSU on the glass collecting eight rebounds while posting a career-best four blocked shots.

Olson led the Vikings with a game-high 20 points. Mike Klepatz added 17 while Ian Thomas pitched in 15. Joey Ryan paced the team on the boards gathering seven as AC out rebounded the Beavers 33-24 in the game.

The Beavers were whistled for 24 fouls putting Augustana on the line 34 times while BSU shot just 11 freebies. With three players finishing the game with four fouls an one being ejected early in the second half, BSU gave up 18 valuable points on the line (26-8) possibly costing the team the game.

The loss drops BSU to 5-7 overall while Augustana improves to 7-6 on the year. The Beavers return home for a week to prepare for their 2005-06 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener Jan. 6 at Concordia University-St. Paul. The game is set for an 8 p.m. tip-off from the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul, Minn.