The NEW Official Thread of the Augustana Vikings

[MrAugustana]

Always happy to get two wins on the road, even if they were closer than Vikings fans were probably hoping for or expecting.

After the first Wayne game this year, I thought our best hope was sneaking into the Regional. I was hoping we'd finish top 5 in the conference. If someone had told me we'd be 17-2 at this point, I would have never believed it.

Obviously there are still 6 regular season games to go and anything can happen, but it's been awesome to see this squad, especially these seniors, playing so well and looking like they're having so much fun together. If we manage to keep winning (or only drop 1 or 2 of the next 6), it will be one of our best regular seasons in program history. Personally, I can't say I saw that coming.

Lots of tough games ahead. Winona is playing better, UIU has obviously played well all season, USF is obviously going to play us hard, SMSU will be hungry for revenge after what we did at their place, Concordia is a perfect trap game, and Mankato is the type of team that can beat anyone if they play well together. (Yes, the Apostle of Apprehension is still going strong.) Regardless, to even be contending to host the Regional (not just make the regional) at this point in the season is fantastic as an Augie fan. Really happy to see this group of seniors playing so well and seeing a reward for their commitment to the program over the past several years.

Here's to hoping the Vikes keep playing well and toughing out the close games with wins like they did this weekend.

[MrAugustana]

Tough game last night. Glad the Vikes pulled it out. Isaac Fink continues to be a big-time player and Dykman stepped up big (starting with the opening basket of the game):

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Also fun to see Tyler Riemersma getting dunks in back-to-back games. I wasn't even sure he could dunk.

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Finally, congrats to Adam Dykman on reaching Augie's 1,000 point club.

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[Blue Ridge Viking]

Everything I've seen and heard about Bryan is just that--great kid who has come in with the mindset that he was going to work his butt off whether he was playing 3 minutes a game or 35 minutes a game. Honestly, his development is a good example of how some kids shouldn't just jump into the transfer portal after year one if they aren't getting 25 minutes a game as freshmen. It would've been easy for Bryan to see himself on the bench behind a guy like Plitzuweit (or even a transfer like Matt Todd who was supposed to come in and be a scoring threat immediately) and decide to transfer somewhere to get 20+ minutes per game starting his sophomore year. Instead, he worked hard, waited his time, and is now getting to make a much-needed impact in a season that has likely surprised just about everyone. Happy for him and I hope his season continues the way it's gone so far.

As far as the bench goes, I completely agree. If Otto and Akoi can maintain--or even better, improve--the level they're at right now, we could be in a much healthier spot potential-wise as the postseason draws near. And this past weekend Eric Tiedmann put in some great minutes grabbing rebounds and making baskets too. Still lots of basketball to be played, but if you had told me after our early-season NAIA games that we'd be potentially contending for a top 2-3 spot in the Regional at this point in the season, I would've been surprised, to say the least. It's been fun to see this team develop.

That's the other part of it too, how much fun everybody is having. Riemersma mentioned it on the post-game radio show after St. Cloud, saying that everybody on this team genuinely likes each other and everyone wants to see everyone else succeed. Nobody is complaining about minutes, nobody is mad or jealous when another guy gets extra shots because he's in a groove...it's just a bunch of guys who enjoy each other and are having fun while they play. Whether they end up making a long postseason run or not, I'm glad these guys like Dykman, Riermersma, LeBrun, and Bryan who have been consistent these past few years are finally (so far) getting to see some of the fruits of their labor.

Here's to hoping it continues with some more wins these last few weeks of the regular season.

Forgot to mention Bryan is more than respectable from three-point range at 41.7 percent. Otto is at 46.4 percent, and Steph Cur .... I mean, Isaac Fink is at 49.4 percent.

Agree on Eric Teidman. He's the kind of kid who's very easy to root for. Keeps his head down. Knows his role. Plays hard and smart. Good to see him contributing.

[MrAugustana]

Fifteen games into the season, and I've been pleasantly surprised by two things:

1. Productivity off the bench. At the beginning of the season, Augie was getting nothing from the bench. But Akoi Akoi and Bennett Otto, especially, have hit their stride. Had serious doubts that Otto was an NSIC-caliber player after his first two years. Glad to say he's proven me wrong.

2. Bona fide point guard. Quality point guard play looked far from certain entering the season. Jameson Bryan was a solid contributor his first four years, biding his time as a spot starter and bench player. His loyalty was rewarded with the starting job this season, and I think he's been superb, especially lately. Billeter is a big assist-to-turnover guy, and Bryan ranks third in all of Division II at 4.29. Seen him interviewed on TV. Seems like a good kid. Happy to see he's playing well his final year.

Everything I've seen and heard about Bryan is just that--great kid who has come in with the mindset that he was going to work his butt off whether he was playing 3 minutes a game or 35 minutes a game. Honestly, his development is a good example of how some kids shouldn't just jump into the transfer portal after year one if they aren't getting 25 minutes a game as freshmen. It would've been easy for Bryan to see himself on the bench behind a guy like Plitzuweit (or even a transfer like Matt Todd who was supposed to come in and be a scoring threat immediately) and decide to transfer somewhere to get 20+ minutes per game starting his sophomore year. Instead, he worked hard, waited his time, and is now getting to make a much-needed impact in a season that has likely surprised just about everyone. Happy for him and I hope his season continues the way it's gone so far.

As far as the bench goes, I completely agree. If Otto and Akoi can maintain--or even better, improve--the level they're at right now, we could be in a much healthier spot potential-wise as the postseason draws near. And this past weekend Eric Tiedmann put in some great minutes grabbing rebounds and making baskets too. Still lots of basketball to be played, but if you had told me after our early-season NAIA games that we'd be potentially contending for a top 2-3 spot in the Regional at this point in the season, I would've been surprised, to say the least. It's been fun to see this team develop.

That's the other part of it too, how much fun everybody is having. Riemersma mentioned it on the post-game radio show after St. Cloud, saying that everybody on this team genuinely likes each other and everyone wants to see everyone else succeed. Nobody is complaining about minutes, nobody is mad or jealous when another guy gets extra shots because he's in a groove...it's just a bunch of guys who enjoy each other and are having fun while they play. Whether they end up making a long postseason run or not, I'm glad these guys like Dykman, Riermersma, LeBrun, and Bryan who have been consistent these past few years are finally (so far) getting to see some of the fruits of their labor.

Here's to hoping it continues with some more wins these last few weeks of the regular season.

[Blue Ridge Viking]

Fifteen games into the season, and I've been pleasantly surprised by two things:

1. Productivity off the bench. At the beginning of the season, Augie was getting nothing from the bench. But Akoi Akoi and Bennett Otto, especially, have hit their stride. Had serious doubts that Otto was an NSIC-caliber player after his first two years. Glad to say he's proven me wrong.

2. Bona fide point guard. Quality point guard play looked far from certain entering the season. Jameson Bryan was a solid contributor his first four years, biding his time as a spot starter and bench player. His loyalty was rewarded with the starting job this season, and I think he's been superb, especially lately. Billeter is a big assist-to-turnover guy, and Bryan ranks third in all of Division II at 4.29. Seen him interviewed on TV. Seems like a good kid. Happy to see he's playing well his final year.

[Augieholic]

Great to see Tyler win another one. He would probably be the betting favorite for POY right if such a thing existed. If it does exist someone please guide me in proper direction. HOWEVAH, I would have liked to see Fink get POW this week. He got robbed earlier this season when he went nuclear on SMSU. Last weekend he punched UMD in the face on Friday and unlike Tyler he had actually faced legit opposition on Saturday.

[vikingfaithful]

Tyler riemersma earns a well deserved POY for the 3rd time this season.

Riemersma Earns Third NSIC Weekly Honor of 2021-22 - Augustana University Athletics (goaugie.com)

[Augieholic]

The margin is narrow and playing at Bemidji/Crookston this weekend won't help the SOS but for now Augie is in phenomenal shape for the postseason.

https://twitter.com/InkblotSports/st...bVgmKxM3w&s=19

[Moorhead123]

I was scrolling through past schedules to determine the last time Augie played a home regular season game with stakes comparable to the date with the Dogs on Friday night at the Pentagon. I came up with three possible contenders:

- January 10, 2015 #16 Mankato at #12 Augustana - Schilling and Jansen spent two years banging their head into the Monaghan/Marei wall before they finally corralled the Maviercks 98-89 in OT. I remember this one vividly and it served as springboard to the success that was to come the next two seasons.
- February 7, 2015 #6 Moorhead at #4 Augustana - the first in a set of four insanely consequential tussles (all Augie wins) over two years, Moorhead brought a ton of fans and even had an entire "suite" of fans right above the Augie bench in the Arena
- January 17, 2020 Northern at Augustana - Northern was 12-4 and Augie 11-5 going into this one but it was Cartwright's first game "back" since his first dance with knee trouble. A wicked snow storm sapped the Pentagon of a rollicking crowd and Northern won 82-77 despite Riemersma hanging 29 on Fox.

Duluth coming of their first official loss of the season on Saturday while Augie has spent January playing part time and suffocating mostly unqualified teams defensively. If they hold their own in this game offensively I might have enough material data to stop doubting Augie on that end of the floor.

If augie can guard andrews in post without having to double then Augie has real good shot. Also, the refs will have big impact. UMD wants every call and loves to flop incessantly to try and get whistles. Should be real good game.

[simple as a $3 bill]

Just remember Mister, you have 2 games this weekend. Don't be overlooking your Saturday night tilt. :)

[Augieholic]

I was scrolling through past schedules to determine the last time Augie played a home regular season game with stakes comparable to the date with the Dogs on Friday night at the Pentagon. I came up with three possible contenders:

- January 10, 2015 #16 Mankato at #12 Augustana - Schilling and Jansen spent two years banging their head into the Monaghan/Marei wall before they finally corralled the Maviercks 98-89 in OT. I remember this one vividly and it served as springboard to the success that was to come the next two seasons.
- February 7, 2015 #6 Moorhead at #4 Augustana - the first in a set of four insanely consequential tussles (all Augie wins) over two years, Moorhead brought a ton of fans and even had an entire "suite" of fans right above the Augie bench in the Arena
- January 17, 2020 Northern at Augustana - Northern was 12-4 and Augie 11-5 going into this one but it was Cartwright's first game "back" since his first dance with knee trouble. A wicked snow storm sapped the Pentagon of a rollicking crowd and Northern won 82-77 despite Riemersma hanging 29 on Fox.

Duluth coming of their first official loss of the season on Saturday while Augie has spent January playing part time and suffocating mostly unqualified teams defensively. If they hold their own in this game offensively I might have enough material data to stop doubting Augie on that end of the floor.

[vikingfaithful]

Augustana signee Caden Hinker scores 35 on Pierre

Sports (605sports.com)

[MrAugustana]

Congrats to incoming Viking Sam Rensch on breaking his school's single-game scoring record last night:

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[laker]

[MrAugustana]

Highlights from the game last night:

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