MINNEAPOLIS — The No. 8 ranked Packer boys basketball team hung with No. 3 ranked Minneapolis Washburn for much of the night, but they let it slip away late in an 86-67 loss on the road Saturday.

The Packers (13-5 overall) pulled to within 70-66 when Nate Schwab hit a three with 3:38 left, but Washburn (17-2 overall) ended the game on a 16-1 run.

“We missed a couple of lay-ups and they got some easy ones,” Austin head coach Kris Fadness said. “The game was closer than the final score indicates and we think we can play with them.”

Joe Aase scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half as Austin led for much of the first frame. But when foul trouble hit the Packers, Washburn closed out the half strong to take a four-point lead to the break.

Austin 37 30 — 67

Washburn 41 45 — 86

Austin scoring: Joe Aase, 23; Zach Wessels, 18; Nate Schwab, 7; Tom Aase, 7; Bret Lukes, 4; Collin Weisert, 2; free throws: 68 percent (15-for-22); turnovers: 20