WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello men's basketball team lost to Augustana University of South Dakota, 90-73, on Saturday in its first game of the Central Region Tipoff at the Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg, Missouri. Kwame McBean led all UAM scorers with 18 points, while Marcus Gilbert recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Both teams had pretty solid days shooting as the Weevils tallied a 41.2 field goal percentage, while Augustana shot 41.8 percent from the floor.
 
The Vikings found themselves ahead early in the first half pushing a lead to 12 due to some solid three-point shooting by Matt Cartwright. The Weevils bright spots in that first period were KJ Lesure who led UAM scorers with 11 at the break, and McBean who had 10.
 
In the second half it was a different attitude for the Weevils. With a little over 13 minutes remaining, Gilbert sparked a huge comeback. He totaled a pair of fastbreak buckets and a jumper in the paint to cut the deficit to three at 59-56.
 
Lesure would then hit a fastbreak basket of his own to force an Augustana timeout. The Weevils then took the lead on a three from Austin Hardy, 61-59.
 
However, the Vikings settled down and began a run of their own getting the lead back making it a 71-67 game with a little under seven to play.
 
The Augustana scoring continued down the stretch as they finished with five players in double-figures and went on to win, 90-73.
 
UAM finished with four players in double-figures on its side in McBean, Lesure, Gilbert and Hardy.
 
Lesure added six assists to his scoring line as well, while McBean tallied seven rebounds finishing three short of a double-double.
 
With the loss, the Weevils fall to 0-1 to begin the year, while Augustana is 1-0.
 
UP NEXT
UAM will be right back at it on Sunday with a 4 p.m. start at the Central Region Tipoff against Southwest Minnesota State.