Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Northern State University Wolves entered Saturday night's contest looking for and needing a big win after a tough Friday night loss.  Instead, they ran into Marques Blank and the Augustana College Vikings, who handed the Wolves their second loss in as many days, this time a 71-57 setback in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action.

The loss marks the first time the Wolves have lost back-to-back games since suffering a 3-game streak early in the 2006-07 season.  NSU dropped to 18-7 overall and 11-7 in NSIC play, while the Vikings, winners of four of their last five games, improved to 18-7 overall and 12-6 in the league.

The Wolves kept things tight through much of the game, forcing 11 ties through the first 32 minute before the Vikings claimed the lead for good on back-to-back jumpers by Lee Stephens with seven and a half minutes to go. 

AC then pulled a page from the NSU playbook by draining six of nine free throws in the final 1:36 of the game, while cleaning up every missed shot by the Wolves to put the game out of reach. 

In fact, the Wolves scored their last field goal with 10:02 left on the clock and managed to put just five more points on the board the rest of the way, all from the free throw line.

The Wolves were led in scoring by senior Kevin Ratzsch, who had 21 points on 7 of 17 shooting.  Junior Mitch Boeck drained his usual five three-pointers to finish with 18.

Blank went 6-for-7 from the floor and finished with 18 points, while Stephens added another 17.

NSU will be back in action on Wednesday, as they play host to MSU Moorhead in another critical NSIC match-up.  Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. in Wachs Arena.