CHADRON, Neb. -- November 25, 2017 -- A 17-0 start by the visiting Augustana University Vikings nearly accounted for their entire margin of victory at the Chicoine Center Saturday afternoon, as they defeated the Chadron State College Eagles 73-53 in non-conference men's basketball action.

"Augie punched us in the mouth," said CSC Head Coach Houston Reed. "It took us too long to respond on both ends of the floor. We've got to take it as a learning lesson and get better in the right areas."

The Vikings hit on their first five field goal attempts, including three-pointers on three of their first four trips down the floor, spreading the ball out between four different starters. They were 7-of-15 for 46.7 percent shooting threes, and 50 percent overall, in the first half.

The Eagles got down 42-16 at the half, before holding the Vikings to just 31 points in the second and shooting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, in a much-improved second half.

Augustana's Steven Schaefer led his team with 16 points. Jordan Spencer had nine points and eight assists to move the Augie offense along.

For Chadron State, sophomore guard Jordan Mills had all of his nine points in the second half, finishing with five rebounds. Walker Andrew and Adoum Mbang, who played his first meaningful minutes of the season, each picked up six points in the second half to tie Mills for the team lead. Mbang was the leader for the Eagles on the boards, grabbing six.

The Eagles, who fell to 2-4 overall with the loss, open Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play on Friday, December 1, hosting 6-0 Colorado School of Mines. The women's and men's doubleheader begins at 5:30 p.m.