ST. PAUL, Minn. — Make it eight wins in a row for the Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball team (16-6, 12-5 NSIC) after a 80-56 dismantling of the Augustana Vikings (9-14, 6-11 NSIC) on Thursday night at the Gangelhoff Center. The Golden Bears were hot from behind the arc all game long going 11-of-23 (47.8%) from three-point range, putting togther their best collective three-point shooting performance to date.
Avery Moeller poured in a season and career-high 17 points in the win, turning in her best shooting performance of the season, going 6-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Moeller led the Golden Bears in bench scoring, playing a total of 26 minutes, topping things off with two rebounds and one assist.
Senior guard Lydia Haack turned in another standout performance, putting up 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting, adding three assists, one block and one steal. For Haack it's the eighth time she's put up 20 or more points in a game this season and the third time in as many games.
Rounding out the night's sharpshooting trio is Ashley Schuelke, who dropped 17 points in the win on 6-of-9 shooting and 4-of-6 makes from beyond the arc. Schuelke dished out four assists and grabbed three boards in the win as well.
Emma Mommsen tallied eight points, with six rebounds, one block and an assist. Leah Dengerud, dropped seven points, and added three steals on defense. Lauren Wilson scored just two points but dished out six assists and played lockdown defense all game long, coming away with one block and four steals.
As a team the Golden Bears were 29-of-51 (56.9%) shooting on the night, while holding the Vikings to 21-of-57 (36.8%) from the floor.
Augie had the hot hand early in the first, opening up an early 6-2 lead. CSP's first lead of the game came on a Lydia Haack layup at the 4:40 mark of the first, from there the Golden Bears opened up an eight point lead on an Ashley Schuelke three-point bucket, leading by as many as 10 in the period and holding a 22-15 lead at the period's close.
After hitting at a 66.7% clip in the opening quarter, the Golden Bears continued to build their lead in the second, leading by as many as 15 at one point. The Vikings answered with a 13-0 run, to cut the CSP lead to just two. CSP held off the Augie attack however to lead 36-33 at the halftime break.
CSP returned to form in the third, regaining the double-digit advantage on a Lydia Haack step-back three-pointer. The Golden Bears hit on 5-of-8 attempts from three-point range, putting together a 27 point third quarter to lead, 63-43.
Avery Moeller kicked off the final period with a three-point make and it was all Golden Bears from there, as the Concordia lead grew to as many as 26. Cassidy Pitzl knocked down a jumper in the paint to put the finishing touches on a 24 point CSP victory.
The Concordia defense applied pressure to the Vikings all game long forcing 16 turnovers and capitalizing on the Augie miscues to the tune of 28 points. The CSP bench provided 24 points on the night, the battle inside was even with both teams coming away with 32 points in the paint.
The Golden Bears wrap up their four game homestand Saturday afternoon, Feb. 7, against Wayne State. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at the Gangelhoff Center.
