By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — Going up against one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the conference, getting off to a fast start was key for the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's basketball team Saturday afternoon.
 
And a fast start there was.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, it was Augsburg which found its long-range shooting touch early, as Augsburg drained seven first-half 3-pointers — while holding Saint Mary's to just 1 of 10 from behind the arc in the game's opening 20 minutes — and rolled to an 88-56 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Cardinals scored the game's opening basket, but a 3-point answer by Matt Carik put Augsburg ahead 3-2 — and the Auggies never looked back, taking advantage of a 10-0 mid-half run to grab a 21-7 advantage.
 
The Auggies continued to pull away, scoring 10 of the final 13 points of the half to take a commanding 23-point, 45-22 lead into the locker room at the break.
 
 And as good as the Auggies were from long range in the opening half, they were even better in the second — draining 10 more treys, including four in the first four minutes — and the Cardinals never recovered.
 
Nicolas Seaton (Lansing, Ill.) scored a career-high 12 points — all in the second half — and added seven rebounds to pace the Cardinals, who went just 3 of 19 from 3-point range and shot just 33 percent from the field (22-for-66). Eli Cave (St. Paul, Minn.) also scored in double figures for Saint Mary's, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.
 
Carik scored a team- and game-high 22 points to lead five Auggies in double figures. Booker Coplin chipped in 19 points, with Kevin McKieman adding 12, and Henry Mulligan and Tyler Krantz each posting 10. Augsburg finished 17-for-33 from behind the 3-point line and shot a sizzling 53 percent from the field (31-for-59).
 
The Cardinals (2-5 MIAC, 6-6 overall) are back in action on Monday, traveling to Bethel's Robertson Center in Arden Hills, Minn., for a 7 p.m. conference tilt against the Royals.