SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana men’s basketball team is headed to the Sweet 16 after a 65-60 win over Upper Iowa Sunday inside the Sanford Pentagon. Augustana is in the Region Championship game for the fourth time in program history with the last coming in 2016.

The Vikings will face the Central Region No. 3 seed Northwest Missouri State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Sanford Pentagon.

To get to that contest, Augustana had to hold off a pesky Upper Iowa squad for the second time in 2021-22. With the win, the Vikings are 26-3 on the season while UIU concludes its season at 26-6.

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Augustana trailed just once in the contest at 4-2 but created a small buffer in the opening half of nine points on a Tyler Riemersma layup with 6:39 to go in the half. The lead would remain at the nine-point advantage heading into halftime at 33-24.

Coming out of the break, the Peacocks trimmed AU’s lead to just a basket at 45-43 on a pair of Jareese Williams free throws, but an old-fashioned 3-point play from Jameson Bryan pushed the lead back to five points at 48-43.

The two squads traded baskets with Upper Iowa not able to take the lead but Augustana also unable to pull away.

With just under 3:50 on the clock, the full momentum began to swing the Vikings’ way as Dylan LeBrun threw down a dunk to give Augustana a 56-51 lead. The Vikings then got a defensive stop as Adam Dykman secured the rebound and was fouled. The home crowd was on its feet, carrying AU as Dykman sank both shots from the charity stripe for the 58-51 lead.

The Peacocks, now pressing its offense, were unable to cut into that lead as Augustana prevailed 65-60 to survive and advance.

Riemersma tallied his fourth-straight double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. He was joined in double-figure scoring by Isaac Fink with 15 points, Dykman with 11 points, and Jameson Bryan’s 10 points. Dykman recorded a double-double with 12 rebounds.

Advance purchase of tickets is recommended for Tuesday’s Region Championship and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com, at the Sanford Pentagon Box Office, or by phone at 605-312-7917. The contest will also be aired exclusively by Midco Sports.

Listen for live coverage on KXRB-FM with Jeff Fylling.

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