By: Austin Bramley

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Box Score
 
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.  -- In a contest where they nearly led wire-to-wire, the Augustana women's basketball team earned a spot in the NSIC semifinals with a 81-53 victory over Minnesota State Sunday night inside the Sanford Pentagon.

The Vikings face the winner of the Sioux Falls - Minnesota State Moorhead contest at 8 p.m. Monday from the Pentagon.

Shelby Selland, a junior center from Letcher, S.D. went on her own 9-0 run to jumpstart Augustana and gave her squad a 15-7 lead with 5:05 to play in the first quarter. Selland ignited her run by cashing in on a 3-pointer and capped it off on a mid-range jumper that came on a pass from Logan O'Farrell. The run transformed into a 15-2 Augustana scoring streak and put the Vikings up 21-9 with one minute to play in the first quarter.

Augie, who's ranked 12th nationally and 5th in the central region, outscored the Mavericks 21-13 in the second quarter and took a 42-25 lead into the locker room at halftime.
A Lynsey Prosser basket from downtown and a Paige Peterson layup with 5:49 to play in the third quarter gave the Vikings a 53-31 lead. The 3-pointer was part of an 11-0 run that was capped off by two Presley O'Farrell free throws and gave the Vikings a 57-31 advantage.

With 9:09 to play in the fourth, Peterson grabbed an offensive rebound, muscled up a layup, was fouled, and completed the three-point play on a made free throw that gave the Vikings a 66-44 lead.

Four players scored 10 or more points for Augustana, led by Peterson's 15 points. Logan O'Farrell had 13 points while Selland and Prosser each contributed 12 points. Prosser, Logan and Presley O'Farrell each distributed five assists. Naomi Rust snagged nine rebounds while Paige Peterson hauled in seven.

The Vikings shot 49 percent from the field, compared to Minnesota State's 30.5 percent. Augustana went 5-for-17 from long range and held the Mavs to just two makes from behind the arc.

Minnesota State's season comes to an end with a 13-17 record while the Vikings to improve to 25-3 overall.