UW-L Wins at Fourth-Ranked Augustana College

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Rock Island, Ill. – Tony Mane and TJ Nereng combined for 42 points as the UW-La Crosse men's basketball team earned a 66-64 victory at fourth-ranked Augustana College Wednesday night in Carver PE Center. The Eagles improve to 4-0 on the season while the Vikings suffer their first loss of the year, dropping to 3-1. Augustana was ranked fourth on D3hoops.com.

Mane scored a career-high 24 points for UW-L, hitting nine-of-13 field goals, including six-of-nine from three-point range. Nereng totaled a career-high 18 points as he finished six-of-10 from the field, including four-of-six from three-point range. Andrew Haass added eight points for the Eagles.

The Eagles led 18-12 with 8:52 left in the first half as Mane hit a three-pointer, but the Vikings came back to take a 20-18 lead with 6:45 remaining. Augustana led 29-23 with 3:42 left before Nereng hit a jumper and Mane another three-pointer to cut the lead to 29-28. The Vikings then scored the final four points of the half to 33-28.

Augustana led 35-28 and 37-30 early in the second half, but UW-L would come back and go on a 7-1 run to trail 38-37. Mane hit a three-point field with 14:42 remaining to give the Eagles a one-point lead before the Vikings led 46-42. The contest was tied at 50-50 when UW-L scored the game's next five points to lead with 4:42 remaining.

It was tied again at 60-60 with 2:28 left as Billy Kegler hit a jumper for UW-L. After Augustana went up two, Haass hit a pair of free throws to force a 62-62 tie with 1:50 remaining. Chandlor Collins made two free throws for Augustana to make it 64-62 with 1:23 left, but UW-L would score the final four points of the game. Haass hit a jumper to tie it with just over a minute left and after the Vikings missed a jumper, Mane hit the game-winning shot with :24 remaining. Augustana hit a three-point field goal with :01 left, but the Vikings were called for an offensive foul and the Eagles held on for the victory.

UW-L shot 56.8% (25-of-44) from the field, including 62.5% (15-of-24) in the second half. The Eagles were 10-of-20 (50.0%) from three-point range in the contest and six-of-eight (75.0%) at the free throw line.

Brett Wessels led Augustana with 12 points while Jordan Delp and Dain Swetalla each added 11. The Vikings shot 41.8% (23-of-55) from the field, including 33.3% (four-of-12) from three-point range. The team was 14-of-19 (73.7%) at the line.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, December 1 hosting the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) at 3 p.m. in Mitchell Hall.