For the sixth time in the nine seasons of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, the Aurora University Spartan men's basketball team was playing in the NACC Tournament Championship game as they hosted the Falcons of Concordia University Wisconsin. In a tightly contested game that would come down to the games final seconds, the Spartans fell to the Falcons 73-71.

Trailing by two in the final seconds of the game, the Spartans got a shot for the win, a three-point field goal from senior Brandon Smith that bounced several times on the rim before falling out allowing the Falcons to hold on to the two-point victory.

AU jumped out to an early lead in the game, taking an eight point advantage at 11-3 just 4:30 into the game. Over the next five minutes, the Spartans maintained a near double-digit lead as they controlled the paint and boards. With 10:58 to play, AU led 21-13.

But the Falcons quickly ran off an 8-0 run aided by a pair of three-point field goals to tie the game up at 21 with 9:07 to go. In the final nine minutes, the teams traded leads on numerous occassions with the Falcons eventually take a 38-37 lead into halftime.

The second half saw the teams battle hard for the right to represent the NACC in the upcoming NCAA Division III Tournament. Both teams held leads but the game stayed within a basket of the other retaking the lead for the entire second-half.

The highly contested half all came down to the games final possession which the Spartans would have. With 13.6 seconds to play, AU Head Coach James Lancaster called time to set up a play. Two more time outs later, Smith found himself with the ball as the game clock was winding down. He launched a contested shot from the top of the arc but unfortunately for the Spartans, the ball did not fall as it had earlier in the year at Concordia when the Spartans won on a last second three from Smith.

AU was led by four players in double-figures with senior Kyle Pilmer having a tremendous game. Pilmer had a double-double of 26 points and 13 rebounds, both game highs. Junior Kalmon Stokes had 14 points and nine rebounds, senior Gavin Walker had 12 points and six assists and Smith had 10 points.

The Spartans likely finish the 2014-2015 season with a 20-8 overall record. They could potentially receive an at-large bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament,