With the 80-74 victory Tuesday evening at Concordia University Chicago, the Aurora University men's basketball team clinched at least a share of the Spartans sixth Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Championship in the nine seasons of the conference's existence and the program's 21st overall.

The victory Tuesday night over the Cougars did not come easily though for the Spartans. After taking the games first lead at 2-0, the Spartans quickly found themselves trailing as the home Cougars started off hot from three-point range. With 16:40 on the clock, AU trailed 11-4 and two minutes later were still down by six (14-8).

A three-point field goal by AU junior Kalmon Stokes started a Spartan 26-9 run over 9:30 gave the Spartans an 11-point lead at 34-23. Concordia would chip into the lead in the final minutes of the half and heading into the halftime intermission, AU led by just four at 39-35.

AU senior Kyle Pilmer led all scorers in the first-half with 15 points on seven-of-seven shooting from the field.

The Spartans came out of halftime with a lot of passion and energy to expand the lead to 10 (49-39) just 2:35 into the second-half.

Concordia answered the Spartans though with a 15-2 run in the following five minutes to take their first lead since early in the game at 54-51. In a back and forth trade of runs, the Spartans responded with a 9-1 run to take back the lead at 60-55.

With a 17-8 run by Concordia to the four minute mark, the Spartans found themselves trailing late 72-68. Spartan guards, junior Tyler Hall (lay-up) and senior Brandon Smith (jumper in the paint) stepped up down the stretch to tie the game. Smith was fouled on his basket and with a made free-throw, the Spartans led 73-72. After two Cougar free-throws gave Concordia a 74-73 lead with just under two minutes to play, the AU defense and veteran leadership rose to the occasion.

Smith scored on the next possession with another three-point play (lay-up and free-throw) and after a couple forced turnovers by the defense, Smith knocked down two free throws with 42 seconds left to give AU a four-point lead (78-74). Hall tallied the games final points on a break-away lay-up with six seconds to play for the 80-74 final score.

Pilmer led five Spartans scoring in double-figures with his 20 points (9-of-10 shooting) and seven rebounds. Hall finished with 16 points, Smith had 15 points, senior Gavin Walker had 10 points and five assists and senior Justin Phipps came up big off the bench with 10 points and six rebounds.

With the win and NACC crown clinching win, AU is now 18-6 overall and 15-4 in the NACC. Next action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on Saturday, February 14, 2015 when they travel to Edgewood College. Game time is set for 4:15 p.m. in Madison, Wisconsin.