Box Score A Northern Athletics Conference match-up between the visiting Inferno of Alverno College (2-4) and the Aurora University Spartans (1-5) will be a game that all in attendance will not forget for some time. The Inferno seemed to have Aurora's number as they led for most of the game. Although the Spartans trailed for the majority of this contest, they came out on top 69-68 thanks to a half-court buzzer-beater by freshman forward Jaime Gooch.

The game did not start out nearly as exciting as the ending would bring. AU jumped out to a 3-0 lead, all on free-throws. Free-throws would be a main-stay in this conference match-up, as AU scored their first five points on free-throws and would not score a basket from the field until sophomore guard Joree Green hit a jumper with 13:28 to play in the first-half and making the score 10-7 Alverno.

Alverno would build an eight-point lead in the first-half but the Spartans kept the visitors within reach and the teams went into halftime, tied 30-30.

In the first half, Aurora played as a team with nine different players contributing points. Junior guard Tenisha Brown and Gooch led the scoring with six points each. The teams combined to shoot 36 free throws with AU going 11-of-20 while the Inferno were 7-of-16.

The second half started off as a see-saw battle with the first four minutes seeing three ties but Alverno never allowing the host Spartans to take a lead. With 15:33 remaining Alverno took a lead which they would hold until Aurora's final shot of the game.

Although the Inferno controlled the lead in the second-half and the Spartans found themselves in foul trouble, AU kept the visiting Inferno within reach and never trailed by more than eight points.

With 49 seconds left and trailing by eight, the biggest point difference in the game, AU sent the Inferno to the free-throw line to earn the victory.

In the final 49 seconds, Alverno would go 2-of-10 from the free-throw line while the Spartans chipped away at the lead.

With 2.9 seconds remaining the lead was just two points (68-66) and Alverno senior guard Hannah Galstad was at the line with a chance to seal the win. Shemissed both free-throws with Gooch grabbing the rebound on the second miss.

Gooch took off up-court immediately and as she moved just past half-court she put up a long three that found its target. As time expired, the ball went through the hoop and bring Aurora a 69-68 win.

Gooch led the Spartans with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds while Brown added 14 points. Alverno went 26-of-48 from the free-throw line while the Spartans were 11-of-22 from the line. The Spartan defense forced 29 turnovers and limited Alverno to 39.6 percent (19-of-48) shooting from the field.

The win improves AU's record to 2-5 on the season and 1-2 in the NAC. Their next action comes on the road against Milwaukee School of Engineering on Tuesday Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.