Austin Packers girls’ basketball team downs Mankato West on Hall of Fame induction night 61-41

On a night where the latest Austin High School Athletic Hall of Fame class was inducted in front of  huge crowd at Ove Berven Gym, Colie Justice scored 16 of her 20 points in the second half to help the Austin Packer girls’ basketball team past Mankato West in a Big 9 Conference matchup 61-41.

Hope Dudycha scored the first seven points for the Packers to stake Austin to an early 7-3 lead, and the Packers never looked back from there as they led 30-22 at the half.  Austin broke the game open with a 17-5 run to open the second half to take a 47-27 lead, and they pushed their lead to as large as 24 on their way to the win.

Besides Justice’s  20 points, Erica Lundberg supplied 17 points off the Austin bench, while Hope Dudycha went on to score 12 points, all in the first half.  Kyra Walters added eight points and Oliva Walsh and Elyse Hebrink each added two points for the Packers, who moved to 14-3 in the Big 9 Conference with the win and 17-4 overall.  Austin stays a half-game behind Red Wing for first place in the conference, as the Wingers walloped Mankato East on the road Friday night 74-47.

The Packers return to action Tuesday night at Ove Berven Gym in the Big 9 Conference against Rochester John Marshall, with the varsity tip-off at 7:30 p.m.