The Aurora University Spartan women's basketball team defeated the visiting Vikings of Augustana College 68-65 on Tuesday evening in Thornton Gymnasium.

The teams combined for 140 field goal attempts, 100 rebounds with 38 being offensive, 34 turnovers and 39 fouls.

The opening half had very little offense from both sides as the teams went into halftime 26-24. The Spartans shot 26.8 percent (11-41) in the first half while the Vikings shot 31.3 percent (10-32).

AU senior center Michelle Perry had eight points and 10 rebounds at the half.

The second half saw the offenses find their tempo. The Spartans opened the second half on a 17-5 run to open up a 14-point lead (43-29) with 15:50 to play. Freshman guard Anya Dylewicz had six points in the AU run.

The Vikings responded with a run of their own that put them back into the contest. Augustana went on a 22-7 run to regain the lead 51-50 with 9:14 to play.

Over the next several minutes to teams traded baskets and the lead before Spartan junior forward Megan Kohrt drained a three-point field goal with 5:49 to play. The basket gave the Spartans a 59-57 lead, which they would not relinquish.

Au freshman forward Jocelyn Wide scored the next four points to push the Spartan lead to 63-57 but the Vikings were not done.

With two minutes to play, the Vikings got within one (63-62) and the game would go right down to the final seconds.

Up two (66-64) with 52 seconds to go, Viking junior forward Natalie Runge made one of two free-throws. After the teams traded turnovers, Spartan senior guard Ashley Daniels sank two free-throws with 12 seconds to play to build the Spartan lead to 68-65. Augustana missed on a three-point field attempt in the final seconds as the host Spartans hung on for the victory.

Perry finished with a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Daniels had 16 points and seven rebounds.

AU improves their record to 2-7 overall and 0-4 in the NAC and are in action next on Wednesday, December 29, 2010 when they travel to University of Redlands. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m. (pst) in Redlands, Calif.