A snowy afternoon at Aurora University saw two of the top teams in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match-up in Thornton Gymnasium. The teams did not disappoint the crowd as the game was a well played battle with AU having a huge second-half to knock off the MSOE Raiders.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 105; Milwaukee School of Engineering 99
LOCATION: Aurora, Illinois – Thornton Gymnasium
RECORDS: Aurora University 10-3 overall; 6-2 NACC; MSOE 7-5 overall; 4-3 NACC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After trailing 14-2 early in the first half the Spartans went on a 12-0 run to take the lead late in the first half.
The Spartans trailed by a game-high 13 points (23-10) midway through the first-half.
An 18-3 run gave AU the lead with 7:30 to play.
The Raiders answered with an 8-0 point run late in the half before taking a 49-39 lead into halftime.
In the second half the Spartans closed the gap with an 11-3 run which put them down by only 2 points, 54-52.
Once AU took their first second-half lead with 13:30 to play at 62-61, the teams went back and forth for a majority of the remaining second-half time.
Down two with 8 minutes to play, AU's Nick Kladis drained a three to give the Spartans a 75-74 lead. A lead they would not relinquish.
The three ignited an 8-0 run but again MSOE cut the lead down to two, 82-80.
The teams continued to see AU expand the lead to eight with MSOE pulling back within two or three on numerous occasions.
With the Spartans up eight (98-90) and one minute to play the game seemed to be all but sealed up but the AU crowd was brought to the edge of their seats thanks to MSOE's Austin Stueck. Stueck drained deep three's and found open teammates.
With 15 seconds to play, MSOE cut the AU lead down to two, 101-99 but four AU free throws clinched the victory.

BEYOND THE BOX
The first-half saw MSOE out shoot AU 58.8% to 39.9% from the field.
AU out-scored MSOE 66-50 in the second-half.
AU out-scored MSOE 23-9 in points off turnovers.
The Spartans out rebounded MSOE 39-33.
 
FOR THE SPARTANS
Tyler Hall had 27 points and eight assists.
Nick Kladis had 23 points.
Chris Fritsch had a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Jovon Griffin had 13 points.
Kalmon Stokes had 11 points and five rebounds.
 
FOR THE FOES
Austin Stueck had 38 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Collin Seubert had 17 points.
 
UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 when they travel to Rockford University. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. in Rockford, Illinois.