By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's basketball team returns to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Saturday, as the Cardinals entertain Augsburg in a 1 p.m. matchup at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (0-12 MIAC, 1-16 Overall) vs. Augsburg Auggies (8-5 MIAC, 13-5 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video | GameDay Program
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—January 24, 2018 * Winona, Minn.: St. Olaf scored the game's first 15 points and shot better than 66 percent from the field in the first half, and the Cardinals never recovered in falling to the Oles 82-59 at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
• Augsburg—January 24, 2018 * Minneapolis, Minn.: The Auggies used a 15-0 run to start the second half to erase a 14-point deficit, but could not pull off the come-from-behind win, falling to Carleton 77-74 in overtime at Si Melby Hall | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Augsburg—Earlier This Year:
• December 2, 2017 * Minneapolis, Minn.: Augsburg had its offense cranked into high gear from the opening tip, as the Auggies erupted for 52 first-half points and Saint Mary's could not keep pace in falling 93-74 at Si Melby Hall | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Augsburg—A Year Ago:
• January 11, 2017 * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals erupted for 106 points in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown with Augsburg—just four points shy of the school-record, set against the University of Minnesota-Duluth during the 1952-53 season. Unfortunately, Augsburg equaled the Cardinals' long-standing school record—plus one—handing Saint Mary's a heartbreaking 111-106 overtime setback at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
• February 13, 2017 * Minneapolis, Minn.: It may not have been another 217-point offensive outburst like their first meeting, but Saint Mary's and Augsburg certainly poured in their fare share of points—combining for 46 field goals, including 14 3-pointers, and 179 points. As was the case the first time around—when Augsburg rallied for a 111-106 overtime victory—it was the Auggies who came out on top again, pulling away in the second half to deal Saint Mary's an 88-71 setback | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are back in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Monday, entertaining St. Thomas in a 7 p.m. game at the Saint Mary's Gym.
• Augsburg: The Auggies are back on the road on Wednesday, heading to Hamline's Hutton Arena in St. Paul, Minn., for a 7 p.m. matchup against the Pipers.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Statistics | 2017-18 Schedule
• Saturday's game against Augsburg is the second of three straight home games for the Cardinals. Saint Mary's has collected five of their last seven wins on their home court. … David Lindstrand (Lakeville, Minn.) scored a team-high 14 points and Sawyer Rosner (Phelps, Wis.) chipped in 11 against St. Olaf Wednesday. … Jakob Bailey (Cameron, Wis.), who was limited to four points against the Oles Wednesday, has scored 10 or more points in six of the team's last seven games. … Rosner scored a team- and career-high 20 points in the Cardinals' 87-68 loss to Carleton on Jan. 17. … The Cardinals boast nine players who have recorded single-game career-highs of 10 or more points this season—James Cullen (Western Springs, Ill. / 24), Rosner (20), Bailey (18), Kareem Anthony-Bello (Chicago, Ill. / 16), Lindstrand (15), Nate Urell (Fountain City, Wis. / 14), Brady Stevens (St. James, Minn. / 12), Christian Oliveras (Bolingbrook, Ill. / 11), and Kristjan Meitz (Waukesha, Wis. / 10). … With his 20-point showing against Carleton on Jan. 17, Rosner became the second Cardinal to reach the 20-point plateau this season—Cullen poured in a team-, season- and career-best 24 points against Martin Luther on Nov. 15. … Along with his 14 points against Concordia-Chicago on Nov. 25, Anthony-Bello also hauled in a career-best 11 rebounds en route to his first collegiate double-double—and the Cardinals' first double-double of the season. … Bailey enters Saturday's matchup against Augsburg averaging a team-best 9.9 ppg, while Rosner (9.7 ppg), Cullen (9.3 ppg), and Anthony-Bello (9.1 ppg) are also all averaging more than nine points. … Bailey and Anthony-Bello share the team lead in rebounds with 73 apiece (4.3 rpg). … Lindstrand boasts a team-high 36 assists. He is one of five players with 20 or more assists through 17 games—Bailey (28), Bradley Hill (Matteson, Ill. / 26), Cullen (24), and Anthony-Bello (22) are the other four. … Anthony-Bello owns a team-high 21 steals, while Bailey has accounted for 13 of the team's 35 blocked shots. … The Cardinals equaled their season high with 10 3-pointers against Concordia on Jan. 8. Saint Mary's also knocked down 10 3-pointers in their first meeting with Gustavus on Nov. 29. … As a team, Saint Mary's has drained 112 3-pointers through 17 games, led by Cullen with 30 and Anthony-Bello with 27. … As a team, the Cardinals are shooting 40 percent from the field (394-for-967), while knocking down 165 of their 238 free throws (69 percent). … The Cardinals put a season-high five players in double figures in their 86-76 loss to Concordia-Chicago on Nov. 25. … The Cardinals' 87 points in their 116-87 MIAC loss to Macalester on Jan. 13 marked the second time this season Saint Mary's has eclipsed the 80-point barrier. The Cardinals scored 89 points in a season-opening 89-75 win over Martin Luther on Nov. 15. … The Cardinals' 89 points vs. Martin Luther marked their highest offensive performance of the season, and the most points scored since erupting for 106 points in a 111-106 loss to Augsburg on Jan. 11. The 106 points were just four shy of the school-record 110 points, set against UM-Duluth during the 1952-53 season. … The Cardinals scored 80 or more points four times last season. … With their 89-75 win over Martin Luther on Nov. 15, the Cardinals have now opened their season with a win in each of their last four seasons—including back-to-back years with season-opening victories over the Knights.
 
Scouting The Augsburg Auggies:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Statistics | 2017-18 Schedule
• Saturday's game against Saint Mary's is the first of three straight road games for the Auggies, who are 8-1 away from Si Melby Hall this season. … Wednesday's loss to Carleton—the Auggies' first overtime game of the season—snapped their two-game winning streak. … Ten of Augsburg's 13 wins have come during two lengthy, five-game winning streaks, while, on the flip side, the Auggies have lost back-to-back games just once this season—falling to Bethel 78-67 on Jan. 10 and to Saint John's 85-75 three days later. … Four of Augsburg's five starters finished in double figures against Carleton Wednesday—led by Collin Olmscheid with 19 points. … Harry Sonie and Kevin McKiernan each chipped in 15 points, while Booker Coplin added 11. … Olmscheid went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line against Carleton Wednesday—improving to 23-for-23 from the line over his past four games. … Coplin posted a career-high 12 rebounds to go with his 11 points vs. the Knights Wednesday en route to his third career double-double. … The Auggies head into Saturday's game at Saint Mary's boasting three players—Olmscheid (18.6 ppg), Coplin (12.5 ppg), and McKeirnan (10.2 ppg)—averaging in double figures. … Augsburg has had a player score 20 or more points 10 times this season—led by Olmscheid, who has achieved the feat six times. … Olmscheid has scored a team- and season-high 29 points twice this season—vs. St. Olaf on Jan. 6 and vs. Hamline on Jan. 3. … Coplin is the Auggies' rebounding leader with 109 (6.1 rpg), followed closely by Olmscheid with 93 (5.2 rpg). … Sonie has dished out a team-best 67 assists and is one of four Auggies with 30 or more helpers this season. McKiernan (57), Coplin (53), and Olmscheid (32) are the others. … Coplin (35) and Sonie (32) are the team's steals leaders, while the duo also share the team lead in blocks with six each. … Augsburg is shooting 49.8 percent from the field (498-for-1066) and have drained 161 3-pointers, led by McKiernan (29), Coplin (25), Olmscheid (24), Henry Mulligan (22), and Nick Sabatke (20). … As a team, Augsburg is averaging 79.4 ppg, while the Auggies' opponents are scoring at a 69.7 ppg clip. … All five of the Auggies' losses this season have come in conference play. Augsburg finished a perfect 5-0 in nonconference play—beating Northland (72-44), UM-Morris (81-76), Loras (79-78), Carroll (74-69), and Wartburg (68-64).