ST. PAUL, Minn. – On Friday night the Concordia women's basketball team (12-5, 10-3 NSIC) pulled even with first-place #8 Augustana (14-3, 10-3 NSIC) in the NSIC standings with a 59-47 win.  With the win, CU completed the season sweep of the Vikings and picked up their fourth straight win against ranked opponents.  The win was also the team's ninth win in their last ten games.

CU Women's Basketball vs. Augustana 1.25.2013 - Images by Justin Oakman

Augustana jumped out to an early 11-3 lead with 14:26 left in the first following an Emily Schulte three and layup.  Concordia quickly gained some momentum with a 15-0 run of their own, giving them an 18-11 lead with 9:13 to go in the half.  After a pair of Lydia Nelson threes for Augie cut the lead to 18-17 the Bears went on another 16-0 run to run out to a 17 point lead at 34-17.  The total sum of the sum of the run ended up being a 31-6 swing in favor of the Golden Bears.  The Bears stretched the lead out to 18 going into the break with a 39-21 advantage.

There was a huge disparity in efficiency from the field in the first half as Augustana shot 22.9% and turned it over eight times while Concordia shot 48.4% and turned it over only four times.  The Bears also blocked five shots in the first 20 minutes.

Sophomore Anika Whiting (Ashland, Wis. ) paced the Bears offense with 10 first half points on 5-6 shooting with five boards, while  junior Rachel Hansen (Eagan, Minn. ) chipped in nine points and four assists, as well.

The Vikings were led by Nelson's 10 points on 4-6 from the field and 2-2 from beyond the arc.

Augie opened the second half of play composed, cutting the lead to 41-28 with 16:20 left with Lydia Nelson scoring the first five points of the half for the Vikings.   They cut the lead down to 11 at 43-32 and 49-38 but were never able to get it back under double digits.  CU stretched it back out to 16 at 54-38 on a Mandy Poke (Richfield, Minn. ) three at the 6:43 mark.  Augie gave one final push, bringing it to 57-47 with 2:36 left but went scoreless in their final five possessions.

Concordia once again used stifling defense to slow down a high powered offense, holding Augie to 29.0% shooting for the game, nearly 15% below their season average.  The Bears cooled off in the second half, shooting 27.6% and finished the day at 38.3%.  CU used their length and quickness to block eight shots and grab seven steals.  Concordia were outrebounded by a mark of 51-39 and 15-3 on the offensive glass but their efficiency was still too much for the Vikings.  The Bears managed a 16/7 assist-to-turnover ratio while Augie was 9/12.

Sophomore Jasmine Haynes (Robbinsdale, Minn.) was able to come off the bench and produce a double-double for the Golden Bears with 10 points and 10 rebounds while adding four blocks.  Whiting once again led the way in scoring with a quiet 14 points and seven boards on 7-11 from the field.  Jasmine Haynes (Robbinsdale, Minn.) and Rachel Hansen also scored in double digits with 10 each. 

Lydia Nelson had 15 points and six rebounds for Augustana, while leading scorer Alex Feeney was held to four points on 1-10 shooting.  She did, however, add 12 boards.

The NSIC co-leading Golden Bears are back in action tomorrow night in Gangelhoff Center against Wayne State (11-6, 7-6 NSIC) as CU looks to continue their winning ways.  Tipoff is at 4:00 p.m.