MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Macalester College men's basketball team battled one of the top teams in the MIAC before ultimately losing at Augsburg University, 90-76 Saturday afternoon at Si Melby Hall. The Scots are now 5-8 overall and 2-6 in the conference, while the Auggies improve to 10-3, 6-2 MIAC.
The first half remained close, with five ties and 15 lead changes. Back-to-back baskets by sophomore center
Shane Anderson (Fargo, N.D./Davies) capped a 6-1 run that put Macalester ahead, 32-31 with 6:27 left in the half. Augsburg closed out the period by outscoring the Scots, 14-2 to take a 45-34 lead at the break. Anderson made all nine of his field goal attempts en route to 18 first-half points, as Macalester shot 61.5 percent from the floor.
The Auggies maintained the upper hand and led by as many as 16 points early in the second half. The score was 58-45 Augsburg at the 14-minute mark when the Scots mounted a comeback. Seven points from junior guard
Gabriel Ramos (Dorado, Puerto Rico/Tasis Dorado) and five points from sophomore guard
Eric Sathy (Cupertino, Calif./Homestead) sparked a 16-6 run that brought Macalester to within three, 64-61 with 9:13 remaining. But the Auggies, who made 18 three-pointers on the day, answered with four threes and a 16-4 spree to push the lead back up to 15, 80-65 with 5:32 on the clock. The Scots never came closer than 11 the rest of the way, as Augsburg won its third straight game.
Anderson, who was in foul trouble in the second half, finished with a career-high 20 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field. Sathy also scored 20 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Ramos tallied 13 points, four rebounds and four assists. Junior forward
Jackson Henningfield (Lake Mary, Fla./Lyman) led Macalester in rebounding with eight caroms to go with 12 points. Matt Carik and Henry Mulligan each scored 20 points for Augsburg, with Mulligan making 6-of-9 from three-point range.
The Scots host Hamline University in MIAC action on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in the Leonard Center.
