MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The first time the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota and Augsburg men's basketball teams squared off, the Cardinals and Auggies combined for 217 points—including a combined 49 points in the five-minute overtime.
 
And those on hand Monday evening at Si Melby Hall were hoping the fireworks would continue in the teams' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rematch.
 
The Cardinals and Auggies didn't disappoint.
 
It may not have been another 217-point offensive outburst, but the two teams certainly poured in their fare share of points—combining for 46 field goals, including 14 3-pointers, and 179 points.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, as was the case the first time around—when Augsburg rallied for a 111-106 overtime victory—it was the Auggies who came out on top again Monday, pulling away in the second half to deal Saint Mary's an 88-71 setback.
 
Augsburg had the upper hand through most of the first half—trailing just twice, 11-10 and 23-22—while building leads as big as nine, 36-27, with less than five minutes remaining.  Saint Mary's, however, closed the game's opening 20 minutes on a 10-4 run to cut the deficit to three, 40-37 at the break.
 
And the Cardinals picked up right where they left off to open the second half, draining back-to-back 3-pointers by Bradley Hill (Matteson, Ill.) and David Lindstrand (Euclid, Minn.) to grab its biggest lead of the game, 43-40.
 
Saint Mary's matched that three-point lead at 45-42, only to have Augsburg rattle off eight unanswered points to regain the lead, 50-45, with 15:20 remaining. Sparked by 3-pointers from Kevin Gleason (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Hill, the Cardinals clawed back within two, 54-52, with 13:30 left on the clock
 
That, however, would be as close as the Cardinals would get, as Augsburg scored 11 unanswered points as part of a 21-6 run that pushed the Auggies' lead to 17, 75-58, with 6:30 to play.
 
Wylie Ferron (Waconia, Minn.) led a trio of Cardinals in double figures, scoring 14 points—including 13 in the game's opening 20 minutes. Aaron Romportl (Stillwater, Minn.) chipped in 12 points, and Quashingm Smith-Pugh (St. Paul, Minn.) recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Cardinals shot 51 percent from the field (27-for-53) with seven 4-pointers and were 10 of 16 from the free throw line. Augsburg, meanwhile, knocked down 21 of 60 field goals (48 percent), but made the most of their time at the free throw line, draining 23 of 30 attempts.
 
Augsburg put five players in double figures, led by Collin Olmscheid wit a game-high 25 points. Richie Perea chipped in 13, while Kevin McKiernan added 12, and Chuckie Smith and Nick Sabatke each finished with 10.
 
The Cardinals (4-14 MIAC, 6-16 overall) are back on the road on Wednesday, traveling to St. Thomas' Schoenecker Arena in St. Paul, Minn., for a 7 p.m. conference showdown with the defending national champion Tommies.