The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament returned to AU's Thornton Gymnasium on Tuesday night, the first time in seven seasons. The Spartans hosted the Lakeland College Muskies with AU winning the hard fought contest 65-55.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: #4 Aurora University 65: #5 Lakeland College 55
LOCATION: Aurora, Illinois – Thornton Gymnasium
RECORDS: Aurora University 16-10; Lakeland College 14-12
 
SPARTAN STARTING LINE UP:
Guard: Bethany Dorrington
Guard: Mallory Cast
Guard: Molly Rosenow
Forward: Anna Roszkowski
Forward: Kelly Evers
 
BEYOND THE BOX
The Spartans win their first NACC tournament contest since the 2008-2009 season. The win that season also came at home in Thornton Gymnasium against Lakeland.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Aurora jumped out to a 15-6 lead just over halfway through the first quarter.
Lakeland responded with a 9-0 run to tie the game (15-15) at the end of the first quarter.
The Spartans went on a 15-7 run in the second period to make the score 30-22 midway through the second.
A Lakeland 10-0 run gave the visitors their first lead of the game late in the first-half, 32-30.
AU got a three from Alyssa Brems just before the half to take a 33-32 lead into the locker room.
Midway through the third period, Anna Roszkowski drained a jumper to give AU a 43-36 lead.
Once again Lakeland closed the period strong and AU led by three, 48-45.
After another Roszkowski lay-up early in the fourth, the Spartans led 52-47.
Lakeland responded with a 5-0 run to tie the game 52-52 halfway through the fourth.
But a 5-0 Spartan run on a jumper from Kelly Evers and a three from Bethany Dorrington gave the Spartans the last lead of the game.
AU continued their run which finished as a 13-3 stretch over the final 5:07 of the game.
The Spartans would only trail one time the entire game before coming away victorious 65-55.
 
FOR THE SPARTANS
Bethany Dorrington had 14 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
Anna Rozskowski had a double-double with 12 poitns and 13 rebounds.
Kelly Evers had 13 points on five of nine shooting from the field.
Mallory Cast had 13 points on four of eight shooting from three-point range.
 
SPARTAN TEAM LEADERS
Points: Bethany Dorrington (14)
Rebounds: Anna Roszkowski (13)
Assists: Molly Rosenow (4)
Steals: Mallory Cast, Kelly Evers and Dorrington (1)
Blocks: Cast (1)
 
UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan women's basketball team comes on Thursday, February 25, 2016 when they travel to Concordia University Wisconsin for the semi-final round of the NACC Tournament. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. in Mequon, Wisconsin.