The Aurora University men's basketball team hosted the Muskies of Lakeland College in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference showdown. The Spartans would defeat Lakeland 84-79 in a thrilling victory.
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AU started the first half with back to back turnovers giving the Muskies the early lead (4-0), all four points coming off of turnovers.
AU responded though with junior forward
Kalmon Stokes grabbing the first points for the Spartans with a three-point-play to bring the Spartans within one early. On the following possession Stokes would hit a three pointer which gave the Spartans the lead 6-4.
At the 15:00 mark the Spartans built their lead to nine (15-6) and a timeout was called by Lakeland. The Muskies would come out of the time out shooting, hitting three consecutive three pointers to tie the game at 15 with 13:00 minutes left in the first half.
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The Spartans would make a run of their own to bring the score to 33-23 after an electrifying dunk from senior forward
Kyle Pilmer. The Spartans and Muskies would trade baskets the rest of the half and go into halftime with AU leading 45-35.
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AU would come into the second half on fire, hitting two consecutive threes from
Tyler Hall and
Brandon Smith and the Spartans led 51-37.
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AU's defense would hold off the Muskies for the next possessions allowing the Spartans to gain a 16 point lead (57-41) with 15:00 minutes left in the second half.
Over the next eight minutes with the Spartans leading by double digits, Lakeland would hit a three from deep with 7:14 left in the half and would close the cap to 64-56.
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The Muskies would continue to chip into the lead even more bringing the game to 72-68 with 2:53 remaining. But the veteran Spartans were not phased as they kept the lead on the free-throw line down the stretch.
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Smith would hit the last several key free throws and the Spartans would come out with the victory 84-79. Pilmer finished the day with 23 points and seven rebounds,
Gavin Walker had eight assists and seven rebounds, Smith had 18 points, five assists and five rebounds, Stokes had 15 points and seven rebounds and Hall had seven points and five assists. AU shot 45.2 percent from the field and had 21 assists on 28 baskets.
With the win, AU is now 10-3 overall and 8-1 in the NACC. Next action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on
Wednesday, January 7 when they travel to Milwaukee School of Engineering. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
