SMSU improves to 4-1 (1-0 NSIC), while Augustana drops its second straight game and falls to 3-2 (0-1 NSIC).
Cody Schilling netted a career-high 30 points and was the lone Viking to score in double figures. Cameron McCaffrey did not reach double figures for the first time this season and finished with seven points.
Jordan Miller's 18 points led the Mustangs.
Augustana had a solid performance on paper, shooting 46.3 percent and turning over the ball just eight times in the loss. SMSU, though, dominated the boards, outrebounding the Vikings 40-28.
Augustana held a five-point lead on several occasions in the first half. That advantage was largely the result of 17 first-half points form Schilling. The Vikings held a 36-34 lead at intermission.
The Mustangs took their first lead of the second half early after Miller drained a 3-pointer 40 seconds in.
SMSU held an advantage for the next six minutes, but the Vikings managed to take a lead of their own after Schilling drilled a jumper at the 14:06 mark to put his team up 47-46.
After the two teams exchanged leads for the next 10 minutes, Augustana built itself a five-point advantage after putting together a 5-0 run with five minutes left via buckets from Leif Nomeland and Schilling. The Viking owned a 61-56 lead with 4:07 remaining.
But it was SMSU's 10 straight points from there that took the air out of the Vikings and gave the Mustangs a five-point advantage with two seconds left.
Schilling hit a 3-pointer as time expired.
For the Vikings, it was their fourth straight conference-opening loss. Augustana last won a conference opener during the 2006-07 season.
The Vikings hit just 9 of 15 from the charity stripe in the loss.
Augustana continues this NSIC-opening weekend tomorrow with a trip to Minnesota State. Tipoff is 6 p.m.
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