Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton men's basketball team dropped a home conference contest against Augustana College (15-6, 9-3) on Wednesday night in King Arena. The Vikings topped the Thunder 79-68 as Wheaton falls to 12-8 overall and 6-5 in CCIW play.

Four Thunder players scored in double digits tonight as Luke Anthony and Nyameye Adom each recorded 16 points for the hosts. Adom led the Thunder with five assists.

Tyson Cruickshank (PICTURED LEFT) scored 15 points with 11 rebounds for his second career "double-double", both against Augustana this season. Cruickshank added three assists. Cade Alioth scored 10 points, with four rebounds and four assists. Anajuwon Spencer scored eight points with five rebounds.

Wheaton posted a 41.5% (22-of-53) field goal percentage, including 31.3% (5-of-16) from three-point range. The Vikings shot 47.7% (31-of-65) from the field, including 55.6% (10-for-18) behind the three-point arc. Wheaton shot 67.9% (22-of-53) at the free throw line, and Augustana had a 58.3% (7-for-12) effort at the charity stripe. The Vikings out-rebounded Wheaton 39-33, including a 13-9 edge on the offensive glass. 

Augustana's edge in offensive out-rebounding allowed the Vikings to out-score the Thunder 17-8 in second-chance points. The Vikings' reserves played a key role as the guests' bench players out-scored the Wheaton bench 21-3.

The game was tightly contested in the first 13 minutes of the matchup. The game was tied 11-11 with 13:35 remaining in the first half. The Vikings held a narrow three-point lead at 30-27 with 4:20 remaining in the first half. Augustana closed out the half with a 12-3 run that allowed the guests to hold a 12-point lead of 42-30 at halftime.

The Vikings held a 15-point lead at 48-33 with 17:52 remaining in the first half when Adom made a basket that sparked 14-unanswered points for the Thunder. Cruickshank made a three-pointer with 12:19 remaining in the game when Augustana led by one-point at 53-52.

Augustana's Pierson Wofford made a basket on the possession that followed Cruickshank's trey. Wofford's jumper ignited a 14-0 run for the Vikings as the guests extended their lead to 67-52 with seven minutes left in regulation. Following the Vikings key run, the closest Wheaton could get was a seven-point deficit when Augustana led 72-65 with 2:24 remaining in the game.

Austin Elledge led Augustana with 15 points. Wofford scored 14 points with nine rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots. Micah Martin scored 13 points with six rebounds and two steals. Lucas Simon scored nine points with three assists. Donovan Ferguson grabbed 10 rebounds for the Vikings.

Wheaton travels to Chicago on Saturday night for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff at North Park.