![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/NSUGalHoopBraggAUAadland.jpg)
Behind a stellar performance from Madelyn Bragg, the Northern State Wolves defeated the Augustana Vikings 63-49 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women’s basketball game at Wachs Arena.
Bragg erupted for 28 points, which tied a season-high and career-high. The center said it took confidence to perform at a high level on Saturday.
“I knew watching film that they weren’t going to bring the double (team), but I was kind of wary of it, knowing that they might bring some backside (help),” Bragg said. “Going up strong and staying confident and doing what I do best, and not trying to do anything too crazy.”
The sophomore made an impact early in the contest as the Wolves held a commanding lead throughout most of the first half.
Northern coach Paula Krueger emphasized working the ball into the post to Bragg, who scored the first six points for the Wolves, on the way to 13 points in the first half.
“If they’re going to play Madi Bragg one-on-one, then we’re going to throw her the ball, and if they’re going to play Madi Bragg one-on-two, we’re still going throw her the ball,” Krueger said. “We know that if we can get it in to get it out, then we’re going to be OK.”
The Vikings answered back with a pair of 3-point baskets to tie the score before Alayna Benike answered with a 3-pointer of her own to start a 10-0 Northern run. From there, the Wolves built a comfortable lead that lasted well into the second quarter.
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/NSUGalHoopBenikeAULeisenJewett-1024x749.jpg)
“We just really locked in because we knew that Augustana’s a really talented team,” Bragg said. “If you let them get hot, they’re going to stay hot and it’s going to be a dogfight until the end, so we knew that we had to stop it right there.”
A Decontee Smith layup gave the Wolves a 34-14 lead with 4:36 left in the second quarter, and while the Northern did not score the rest of the half, the hosts still owned a 13-point lead at the break.
In the second half, the Wolves continued to feed Bragg inside as the Vikings had no answer for the 6-foot-3 Aberdeen native. When the Vikings collapsed their defense down on Bragg, she was able to find her teammates, who came up with clutch shots.
“It’s really nice when they get to do that because a lot of times there’s people in the paint,” Bragg said. “At the end of the game they started pulling in the double (team) and I got to kick it out to some of our shooters.”
The Wolves stretched their lead to as many as 18 points at the end of the third quarter and every time the Vikings attempted to climb back into the game in the fourth quarter, Northern closed the door.
“The girls just locked and said, Hey man, we’ve got to play some defense,” Krueger said. “We’ve got to finish what we started. We’ve got to be able to play through a little fatigue.”
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/NSUGalHoopSchultzAUDiegnau-1024x852.jpg)
The Wolves (12-4 overall and 8-2 in the NSIC) will now prepare to host Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota-Duluth on Friday and Saturday at Wachs Arena. Bragg said she and her teammates are excited for next weekend’s slate of games.
“CSP is super talented; they like to play fast. I think we’ll match up pretty well with them,” Bragg said. “Duluth has a lot of talent. Last year they were second in the nation and they’re bringing back a lot of talent. I’m really excited for that game, because they have a lot of girls that match up really well for us, so I think we’re all just really excited and ready to get those games going, too.”
For a complete box score, click on the following link:
https://nsuwolves.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2023-24/augustana/boxscore/13349
![](/wp-content/uploads/SD_Sport_Scene_Logo-web-333x50-1.png)
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/HamlinENeuendorfRHSFisher-80x80.jpg)
Boys Basketball
Second-rated Chargers claim win over Roncalli
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/AbChristHoopHoferIpswichHettich-80x80.jpg)
Boys Basketball
Length helps carry Knights past Ipswich boys
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/CHSGalHoopHermansenHarrisLawrensonTryon-80x80.jpg)
Girls Basketball
Mitchell surges past Central in fourth quarter
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/IpswichGalHoopWaldAbChristCobbs-80x80.jpg)
Girls Basketball
Tigers run past Christian in second half of girls’ win
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/HamlinGalHoopASteffensenRHSThomas-80x80.jpg)
Girls Basketball
Hamlin pulls away from Roncalli to remain unbeaten in NEC
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/RHSGalHoopHansonWarnerJung-80x80.jpg)
Girls Basketball
Hanson complete player for Cavaliers
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/CHSGalHoopCoachPaitonBurckhardClap-80x80.jpg)
Girls Basketball
Central girls to have throwback night at Civic Arena
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/CHSGalHoopDohrerTeaHaynes-80x80.jpg)
Girls Basketball
Central balance extends winning streak to six games
![](https://www.sdsportscene.com/wp-content/uploads/NWGalHoopARatiganLeoFredClark-80x80.jpg)
Girls Basketball
Bigger, faster, stronger Wildcats flying under radar
Purchase a Photo
Browse By Category
- Auto Racing (105)
- Baseball (509)
- Basketball (307)
- BMX (1)
- Bowling (80)
- Boys Basketball (806)
- Boys' Hockey (123)
- Columns (60)
- Cross Country (210)
- Curling (1)
- Football (494)
- Galleries (1,071)
- General (186)
- Girls Basketball (735)
- Girls' Hockey (123)
- Golf (372)
- Gymnastics (91)
- Hockey (158)
- Looking Back (208)
- Men's Basketball (32)
- Men's Basketball (41)
- Mixed Martial Arts (2)
- Podcasts (64)
- Polls (60)
- Powerlifting (2)
- Rodeo (2)
- Roundups (287)
- Running (10)
- Soccer (261)
- Softball (95)
- Special Moments (47)
- State B Notebooks (6)
- Swimming (73)
- Tennis (326)
- Track and Field (493)
- Trapshooting (20)
- Volleyball (844)
- Women's Basketball (62)
- Wrestling (362)
Browse By Month
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021