Box Score Rock Island, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team opened its 2015-16 regular-season with a 88-60 loss at number-one ranked Augustana College (Ill.) Friday night in the Roy J. Carver Center for Physical Education.  It was also the Vikings' regular-season opener.

UWL took a 3-2 lead on a Jared Staege three-pointer with 18:44 remaining in the first half.  Augustana (Ill.) led 8-7 when it went on a 7-0 run to lead 15-7 with 14:18 left.

The Eagles came back to cut the lead to 17-13 with 11:51 left on a Lucas Collom jumper before the Vikings scored the next six points to lead 23-13.  After a Ben Meinholz three-pointer for UWL cut the margin to 27-18 with 7:54 remaining.  Augustana (Ill.) led 48-30 at halftime.

UWL could get no closer than 16 points in the second half.

UWL shot 44.2% from the field, including 37.5% (six-of-16) from three-point range.  The Eagles shot 69.6% (16-of-23) at the free throw line.  Staege led UWL with 17 points while Austin Fritz finished with 12.  Staege as four-of-five from the field, including two-of-three from three-point range, and seven-of-eight at the line.  Fritz was six-of-nine from the field.

Collom and Meinholz led UWL with three rebounds.

Augustana (Ill.), ranked first on the preseason D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, shot 58.7% from the field, including 42.1% (eight-of-19) from three-point range.  The Vikings shot 72.2% (26-of-36) at the line.  Hunter Hill led the team wih 23 points while Jacob Johnston finished with 15 and Ben Ryan with 12.  Ryan also had a team-leading six rebounds.

UWL returns to action Monday, November 16 hosting Lakeland College (Wis.) at 7 p.m. in the Eagles' home opener.