Box Score Aurora University's women's basketball team opened up the new year with a Northern Athletics Conference match-up against the Sabres of Marian University. The Spartans started off slow, allowing Marian to open up the game on a 17-0 run. The Spartans battled back for the remainder of the game but to no avail. The Sabres went on to defeat AU by a score of 76-53.

Marian's 17 point scoring outburst was led by sophomore guard Sarah Albert who added 15 points, all of which came from three point land. She finished the game making 10 of her 13 three point attempts. Although the Spartans faced an early 17-0 deficit, they did not give up.

The Spartans answered Marian's run with one of their own. After trailing 17-0, over the next five minutes of the game the Spartans outscored Marian 12-5 cutting the lead to 10 (22-12). Both teams fought back and forth for the remainder of the first half with Sabres holding a 39-28 advantage going into halftime..

Aurora's first half scoring was led by junior guard Angela Smith who tallied nine points while freshman guard  JaQuitta Walker added eight points, two 2 assists and two steals.

The second half was more of the same, as Aurora competed for contention. They drew within nine (42-33) early on in the half but that was as close as they would come.

Marian responded by pulling away on a 24-10 run over the next nine minutes to build a 23 point lead just over 7 minutes remaining in regulation.

Smith finished the game leading AU with a team high 15 points. Walker and senior forward Megan Kohrt ended up with 13 points and five steals.

Albert led all scorers with 30 points for Marian with all her baskets coming from three-point range.

With the loss, Aurora moves on to 2-11 on the season and 1-5 in the NAC. Their next action comes on Tuesday, January 10th as they travel to Concordia University Chicago in River Forest, Ill. with tip-off slated for 7 pm.