With the Aurora University men's basketball team hosting the second annual MS Game to raise awareness for multiple sclerosis, the Spartans overcame a sluggish first half to defeat the Edgewood College Eagles 103-90. A pair of milestones were accomplished in the game with AU senior guard
Tyler Hall becoming the 32nd member of the AU Men's Basketball 1,000 point club and Head Coach
James Lancaster won his 400th career game as the men's basketball coach.
THE BASICSFINAL SCORE: Aurora University 103; Edgewood College 90
LOCATION: Aurora, Illinois – Thornton Gymnasium
RECORDS:Â Aurora University 16-3; NACC 12-2; Edgewood College 2-17; NACC 2-12
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HOW IT HAPPENEDThe Eagles started off the first half with several three point baskets which gave them a 13-8 lead five minutes into the game.
Aurora answered with a 9-3 run and took their first lead at 17-16 with 11:23 to play in the opening half.
With the game tied 23-23 with under 8 minutes to play, Edgewood ran off a 6-0 run which was quickly answered by a Spartan 6-0 run to tie the game 29-29 with just uynder five minutes left.
The teams traded baskets in the final minutes before the Spartans finished with a 5-0 run, culminating in a
Kalmon Stokes dunk.
AU took a three-point lead into halftime with the score at 37-34..
Aurora jumped out to a 13-point lead to start the second half after going on a 14-2 run, aided by two
Chris Fritsch three-point field goals.
The Eagles came back and brought the deficit down to one-point (60-59) with 11:47 to play in the game.
The Spartans methodically built back a double-digit lead with the game never getting any closer than eight points in the final 6 minutes of the game.
After a sluggish 40.5-percent shooting in the first-half, the Spartans shot 65-percent from the field in the second-half.
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BEYOND THE BOX SCOREToday's game was the 2
nd annual MS Day game hosted in Thornton Gymnasium.
The Spartans are 10-0 this season when scoring 100 points.
Tyler Hall reached the 1,000 point mark for his AU career in today's game, becoming the 32nd member of the AU Men's Basketball 1,000 point club.
Head Coach
James Lancaster won his 400th career game as the men's basketball coach today in the win over Edgewood.
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FOR THE SPARTANSTyler Hall led the Spartans with 21 points and six assists.
Jovon Griffin had 20 points and five assists.
Kalmon Stokes had 16 points and six rebounds.
Chris Fritsch had 14 points and led the Spartans with nine rebounds.
Nick Kladis had 12 points.
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FOR THE FOESArik Anderson led the Eagles with 19 points on five-of-seven from three-point range.
Sy Staver recorded 17 assists and five rebounds.
UP NEXTNext action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 when they host #3 Benedictine University. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. in Thornton Gymnasium.