Rock Island, Ill. - The Alma College men's basketball team lost its season opener 74-67 to Augustana College (IL) on Friday (Nov. 15) evening.

After trailing by as many as 15, Alma went on a 22-9 run over an eight-minute span in the second half pulled to within two with under six minutes remaining. The deficit was still two when Jack McDonald came up clutch for the Vikings, hitting a running layup with 34 seconds left to put Augustana up four. Both Zach Sinke (Grand Haven, Mich. / Grand Haven) and Kyle Woodruff (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Holly) tried three-pointers to get Alma to within one, but were off the mark. Alma missed five of its last six field goals.

Woodruff and Cole Kleiver (Williamston, Mich. / Williamston) led the comeback with a combined 17 of Alma's 22 points over that eight-minute span. Kleiver finished with a game-high 21 points; Woodruff had 17 with three 3s.

Matt Lark (Middleville, Mich. / Thornapple Kellogg) was also in double digits with 10 points; he added three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sinke also filled the stat sheet with five points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and three blocks in 21 minutes.

Pierson Wofford led the Vikings with 17 points. Jarrett Tribble and Micah Martin each had 15. Martin, Augustana's center, started the game hot and cooled off toward the end. He shot 5-of-7 for 12 points and blocked two shots in his first 13 minutes, but finished with 15 points in 25 minutes.

Both teams struggled from three in the first half, going a combined 5-for-21. It improved in the second half with Alma making five to Augustana's four but the Vikings shot it at a better clip.

Points in the paint and second-chance points killed the Scots; they were outscored 32-14 in the former and 18-4 in the latter. Augustana had 10 more offensive rebounds than Alma.

The Scots have a quick turnaround for their next game. They'll play Illinois Wesleyan at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 16).