The Austin girls basketball team started strong, but couldn’t keep it up as it lost to No. 3 ranked Red Wing 77-48 on the road Thursday.

The Packers (3-5 overall) led with eight minutes left in the first half and they trailed just 34-28 at the break, but they started slow in the second half and never got back in it.

“I felt OK at the half, but they came out with much greater intensity than we had,” Austin head coach Gary Peterson said. “We have to be able to play more physical and play with more composure.”

The Wingers (8-1 overall) forced 44 turnovers from Austin as they dialed up a full court press all night long.

“They pressed us all over the court and they make it such a rag tag game,” Peterson said. “They’ve got a real good team.”

Austin scoring: Jenna Svoboda, 10; Babaye Oja, 9; Meredith Molhusen, 6; Nina Carney, 6; Sophia Hebrink, 4; Taylor Lady, 4; Mary Kate Barinka, 4; Stephanie Justice, 3; Danielle Tschann, 2; field goals: 29 percent (18-for-61); three-pointers: 20 percent (3-for-15); free throws: 43 percent (9-for-21); rebounds: 39 (Svoboda, 8); turnovers: 44

Red Wing scoring: Tesha Buck, 17; Marisa Toivonen, 13; field goals: 42 percent (27-for-63); three-pointers: 38 percent (5-for-13); free throws: 41 percent (18-for-44); rebounds: 30 (Buck, 8); turnovers: 34