Season most likely done for women’s basketball

After Augustana women’s basketball went on an 18-4 run in the first five minutes, it looked like Saturday night’s quarterfinal contest against Winona State would be nothing short of a blowout.

But as coach head Dave Krauth said, it was nothing but a “little bit of fool’s gold.”

Winona recovered from the deficit and took the game 82-76, cutting the Viking’s NSIC Tournament prospects short.

“We just did not have one of our better games,” Krauth said. “At some point I thought it was subpar.”

The Vikings opened with a quick layup from senior guard Sydney Rome and a three from Sophomore guard Lynsey Prosser.

After a pair of Winona free throws, Rome answered back with three straight threes, putting the Vikings up 14-2 with 7:07 left in the first quarter.

Momentum began to shift in the Warrior’s favor after Krauth was issued a technical foul for making a comment to an official who had officiated Augustana’s previous game.

“I never had it explained to me,” said Krauth. “There wasn’t anything you would normally assume. I didn’t raise my voice; I didn’t say anything out of line. I just said something along the lines of, ‘I hope we don’t have any carry-over from Wednesday.’”

Junior guard Allison Koehn had her coach’s back.

“He said it in a very even-keeled voice, not upset at all,” Koehn said. “I mean, this didn’t change the fact we lost or that we’re out of the tournament;  I just think they made poor calls in both directions. Penalties just kill your run and your momentum.”

After the foul, Winona’s offense picked up and pushed a 6-3 run, but Augustana held its lead, ending the first quarter up 20-15.

Augustana held its lead through the second quarter as well but lost it early in the third.

The lead changed hands a few times in the quarter, but Winona had it going into the fourth.

In the fourth, the Vikings deficit at one point widened to 15, but they were able to close it within five by focusing on layups rather than threes.

“We’re just trying to get the best shot at that point,” Koehn said.“They were face-guarding me and Sydney Rome, so there was no way we could have jacked up a shot that they won’t block. I mean, if you don’t got a decent, look you have to take what you can get.”

Sophomore center Shelby Selland finished with a career-high 19 points and one rebound shy of of a double-double.

“The scoreboard said we lost,” Selland said. “But I guess I finished with a bang.”

Rome walked away with 16 points on 6-12 shooting and four assists.

With the loss Augustana fell one spot to No. 8 in the third iteration of the Central Region rankings, released Wednesday.

“I’m not overly optimistic at this point,” Krauth said of th eteams odds of making the regional. “Unfortunately, with our track record over the years, we’ve been the odd man out many a time. There’s supposed to be a formula, and there’s supposed to be a subjectivity involved, but that hasn’t really worked that well for us.”

It’s unlikely the Vikings will make the regional, as Northern State win over USF will push the Vikings to No. 9.

“The overall season, as I look back,”  Krauth said. “I am very pleased with it, I mean we won the South Division and beat good teams. Despite being disappointed with our last loss, I have to be a little philosophical about it and realize it was a really good season for us.”

The team now must wait until Sunday night for the NCAA Selection Show to see if its made the regional.