While the Packers didn’t pick up a win against No. 7 ranked Minneapolis Washburn, they definitely picked up some confidence in Packer Gym Thursday.

Austin (0-2 overall) played step-for-step with the Millers (2-0 overall), but ended up on the short end of a 57-53 score.

“I think we can play with anybody in the state right now. We’re playing really good basketball, but we just couldn’t finish,” said Austin sophomore forward Tom Aase, who had 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 assists.

The Packers had a chance to take the lead with 18.9 seconds left, but Austin mi communicated as Zach Fadness threw behind Tom Aase as he was cutting to the hoop with 2.9 seconds left. Washburn’s Clarence Thomas hit two free throws to ice the game.

“We thought we had a play called but one of the boys said he didn’t hear it and when it broke down I should’ve called a timeout instead of letting a scramble situation go,” Austin head coach Kris Fadness said. “Zach had a shot there, he should’ve taken it instead of passing it up. He hesitated and it was too late.”

Austin had trailed 55-45 with under four minutes left, but the Millers missed five straight free throws while Tom Aase and Zach Wessels hit threes to get closer.

Wessels, a freshman who scored 11, drove for a lay-up to make it 55-50 and he had a three rattle in with a minute left to make it 55-53.

The Millers limited Austin’s post presence in the first half, but Joe Aase and Tom Aase each scored nine points in the second frame.

“I think I was a little scared at the start of the game, but I felt more confident in the second half,” Tom Aase said. “Our guards are working really well and we’re getting Joe involved in the post.”

Joe Aase, who had four assists, sat for much of the first half.

“He picked up those two fouls and I’m not going to lose a game in the first half,” Fadness said. “I knew Washburn would crank up their defensive intensity in the second half.”

Thomas drilled two threes and Dwight Anderson converted a three-point play as Washburn scored 11 straight early in the first half to go up 41-32.

At that point, the Millers turned the game into a track meet that led to a few easy lay-ups for Cedric Chappell, who finished with 17 points.

“They really hurt us in transition,” Fadness said. “They saw our press and they were just going to throw it over the top and go. They were going and going and when they got the lead up to ten either we started to get back or they slowed it down.”

One part of the game that the Packers couldn’t keep up in was the boards. Washburn had 12 offensive rebounds and they out-rebounded Austin 30-16.

“They killed us on the offensive glass,” Fadness said. “If there’s one key area to point to it was rebounding. If we rebound better we beat them.”

After dropping two close contests to some very solid teams, Fadness is hoping his squad is feeling good about itself.

“I’ve always felt good about our team. The kids should feel good about themselves,” he said. “I was happy with our guard play. We didn’t have the awful turnovers we had against Cedar Falls and in the second half we did a good job of getting Joe in the post.”

Austin’s latest lead in the game was a 32-30 advantage after Tom Aase scored with 15:25 left in the game.

Washburn 26 31 — 57

Austin         25 28 — 53

Austin scoring: Tom Aase, 12; Zach Wessels, 11; Joe Aase, 9; Jay Ettinger, 6; Zach Fadness, 5; Matt Duren, 4; Max Coffey, 3; Andrew Kaiser, 3; field goals: 47.6 percent (20-for-42); three-pointers: 33.3 percent (6-for-18); free throws: 77.8 percent (7-for-9); rebounds: 16 (Tom Aase, 5); turnovers: 20

Washburn scoring: Cedric Chappell, 17; Clarence Thomas, 15; Dwight Anderson, 11; Joseph Doby, 7; field goals: 42.2 percent (19-for-45); three-pointers: 28.6 percent (2-for-7); free throws: 53.1 percent (17-for-32); rebounds; 30 (Thomas, 7); turnovers: 19