Herald Staff Writer
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- For the first half of the North Central Conference men's basketball season, UND didn't see much of the old Chad Mustard.
The Sioux -- and Augustana -- saw the old Mustard on Friday night, the same player who has built a reputation the past two years as one of the most physical and skilled inside players in the NCC.
Mustard's 25 points -- 17 in the final 11 minutes -- carried UND to a 98-89 win over Augustana before 2,753 fans in the Elmen Center. The Sioux improved to 10-5 in the NCC and 21-5 overall. More important, the win inched UND closer to its first NCAA Division II playoff berth since 1995.
In his last six NCC games, Mustard is averaging 18.6 points -- nearly six points better than his average in the first half of the league season.
"It took me longer to get in the groove," Mustard said. "This year, we're a more well-balanced team and it took me a while to find my spot."
Mustard's spot was in the paint in the final 11 minutes. He was unstoppable inside and his play during a three-minute stretch helped the Sioux go from a one-point lead (65-64) to an eight-point advantage (78-69).
Mustard's one-handed slam dunk at 8:26 was followed by another inside power move at 7:56. His second basket came seconds after he blocked an Augustana shot.
Two more Mustard baskets over the next 2 1/2 minutes gave the Sioux a 78-69 lead. From there, Brady Larson's free-throw shooting took over.
Larson, who scored a career-high 30 points, made 17 straight free throws after missing his first attempt in the first half. Once UND stretched its lead to nine, Larson took over at the line.
But it was Mustard who gave Larson the chance to reach his career high.
"Chad took over the game," Larson said. "He definitely turned it on. He's so quick underneath. Guys just can't guard him."
It wasn't an easy win for UND. Neither team gained the upper hand in the first half. But Larson came up with three three-pointers in the first eight minutes of the second half. His third gave UND a 52-49 lead.
After Roman Evans' three-pointer cut UND's lead to 65-64 with 8:47 left, Mustard took over. But his overpowering play was aided by UND's outside shooting.
Larson and Marcus Travis (14 points) both hit early second-half perimeter shots. Those shots hurt Augustana as much as Mustard did.
"Because Larson and Travis hit from the outside, we were forced to stop doubling down defensively on Mustard," Augustana coach Perry Ford said. "It was obvious we couldn't guard (Mustard) one-on-one.
"But that's the way a senior should play."
UND placed five players in double figures. Hunter Reinke (13) and Kyle Behrens (12) joined Larson, Mustard and Travis in double figures.
Augustana shot 59.5 percent in the second half. The Vikings (5-10 NCC, 14-12 overall) were led by Evans' 20 points. "Offensively, I don't know if we can play any better than that," Ford said.
But UND answered Augustana's solid second-half offense, shooting 59.3 percent.
"When they got going on offense, we matched them," UND coach Rich Glas said. "Then we made a couple of stops and were able to pull away. It was a well-earned win."
| UND (98) | |||
| Name | FG | FT | Points |
| Mustard | 11-17 | 3-3 | 25 |
| Travis | 6-10 | 0-0 | 14 |
| Behrens | 3-7 | 5-8 | 12 |
| Munlin | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Larson | 5-10 | 17-18 | 30 |
| Jacobson | 1-4 | 0-0 | 2 |
| Ristvedt | 0-0 | 2-2 | 2 |
| Badding | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0 |
| Reinke | 5-11 | 2-4 | 13 |
| Walker | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Totals | 31-60 | 29-37 | 98 |
| Augustana (89) | |||
| White | 6-16 | 4-6 | 16 |
| Evans | 8-11 | 0-0 | 20 |
| Brunison | 2-4 | 1-2 | 5 |
| Welk | 6-13 | 1-2 | 13 |
| Hilgenberg | 4-5 | 0-1 | 10 |
| Cotta | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Sullivan | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5 |
| Esselink | 4-5 | 1-1 | 13 |
| Dahl | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 |
| Gaulke | 2-4 | 1-2 | 5 |
| Homan | 0-0 | 2-2 | 2 |
| Totals | 33-60 | 16-25 | 89 |
Halftime: North Dakota 38, Augustana 34.
3-point goals: ND 7-20 (Larson 3-8, Jacobson 0-3, Travis 2-5, Behrens 1-1, Walker 0-1, Reinke 1-2); A 7-18 (White 0-7, Evans 4-5, Burnison 0-1, Hilgenberg 2-3, Esselink 1-1, Gaulke 0-1).
Fouled out: Evans.
Rebounds: ND 33 (Mustard 8); A 29 (Welk 6).
Assists: ND 13 (Larson 4); A 14 (Evans 7).
Total fouls: ND 21, A 30.
Attendance: 2,753