DUBUQUE, Iowa –  A 23-9 first-half run keyed Augustana's 61-54 win over Dubuque Wednesday at the Stoltz Sports Center. Coach Mark Beinborn's squad evened its record at 5-5 on the year, while the host

Spartans dropped to 1-8.
 
The contest was scoreless for more than three minutes before Kia Dwight's three-pointer staked Dubuque to a 3-0 lead. The Spartans still led 5-2 after an Abigail Zurcher jumper at 5:53 of the first quarter, but buckets by seniors Izzy Anderson (Alleman HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and Clare Kramer (Prophetstown HS, Lyndon, Ill.) gave the Vikings a 6-5 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
 
Consecutive three-pointers by seniors Sadie Roberts (Untied Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) and Scooter Lopez (Mountain Vista HS, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) eventually pushed Augustana's advantage to 19-12 before Tamya Vaultonburg's layup drew Dubuque to within 19-14 after one period.
 
Anderson's jumper with 7:42 left in the second quarter completed a 23-9 Viking run and gave the visitors their biggest lead of the night at 25-14.
 
Augustana would equal that 11-point margin twice more in the period—first at 28-17 on a Jeni Crain (Woodstock North HS, Woodstock, Ill.) trey and again on a Roberts layup at the 2:52 mark that made it 30-19. Amari Sims scored with a minute left to cut the Spartans' deficit 30-22 at intermission.
 
The teams traded baskets for most of the second half, as the margin never climbed over nine points and never dipped below five.
 
An Allison Roach bucket with 4:10 left in the third quarter pulled Dubuque to within 35-30, but sophomore Justice Edell (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) answered with a three-pointer and another by junior Alexis Jones (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) with 1:40 left in the period put the Vikings on top 41-32. Vaultonburg eventually split a pair of free throws with a second left and the teams headed to the fourth quarter with Augustana on top 44-37.
 
After the Vikings bumped the edge back to nine points twice early in the fourth, Roach drew the Spartans to within five (50-45) when she hit one of two free throws with 4:48 to play. However, a Crain free throw and a steal and layup by senior Hannah Durbin (Springfield HS, Springfield, Ore.) gave Augustana a 53-45 advantage and the hosts would get no closer than six the rest of the way.
 
Anderson scored nine of her game-high 18 in the final period. She also led the Vikings with three assists. Jones added nine points, six rebounds and four steals. Roberts grabbed six boards and Edell had three assists as well. Roach tallied 17 for Dubuque.
 
Augustana finished the night 20 of 58 (.345) from the field, six of 23 (.261) from beyond the arc and 15-23 (.652) from the foul line. The Spartans shot .308 (16-52) from the floor, .300 (6-20) from three-point range and .696 (16-23) at the charity stripe. Dubuque had a 43-39 edge on the glass, but committed 25 turnovers to 20 for the Vikings.
 
Beinborn's crew will be back in action on Saturday, December 15 at Millikin. Tipoff at the Griswold Center in Decatur, Illinois is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.