The Aurora University men's basketball team went north of the border to Carthage College for the 2014 Cartage College Classic and opened up the classic with a 70-68 win over the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse. The Spartans won the game in thrilling fashion with a last second basket by senior Kyle Pilmer.

In the opening minutes the two teams traded baskets while seeming to feel each other out. With 14:29 to play in the first-half, senior Brandon Smith scored on a lay-up to give the Spartans a 10-8 lead, a lead they would hold until the final minute of play.

With 5:39 left in the first half, junior guard Tyler Hall made a lay-up to give the Spartans an eight point lead (24-16), their largest of the first-half. UW-Lacrosse hung tough with AU though, cutting the lead down to one (26-25) with 2:44 to play.

The Spartans would finish the first-half on a 6-2 run though, including a free-throw with one second left to play by AU senior guard Gavin Walker. The basket gave AU a 32-27 lead going into halftime.

As the teams had done in the first-half, they traded baskets in the opening minutes of the second-half. Leading by five (42-37) with 16:19 to play, the Spartans embarked on a 16-6 run over the next six minutes to lead by 15 (58-43).

AU led by 11 (65-54) with 4:22 to play in the game and seemed to have a comfortable lead and control of the contest. But UW-Lacrosse had other plans as they went on a 14-3 run over the next four minutes to tie the game 68-68 with 21 seconds to play in the game.

Following a timeout from AU Head Coach James Lancaster to set up a last shot, the Spartans went to work on offense. Walker found himself free in the paint as the final seconds ticked off the clock but his attempt was off but being the man in the right place at the right time, Pilmer grabbed the rebound and put back a shot with one second left to give AU a two-point lead at 70-68, the final score.

Pilmer led AU with 17 points on six-of-seven shooting from the field and seven rebounds, Smith had 15 points and Tyler Hall had 14 points.

With the win, AU is now 2-0 on the season. Next action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on Saturday, November 22 when they take on the University of St. Francis in the Championship game of the Carthage College Classic. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. in Kenosha, Wisconsin.