The Aurora University men's basketball team opened the 2017-2018 season at the Wartburg College Tournament. AU started off slowly, trailing by double-digits in the first-half before storming back for an easy 20-point blowout win.
 
THE BASICS:
FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 104, Iowa Wesleyan University 84
LOCATION: Levick Arena – Waverly, Iowa
RECORDS: Aurora University 1-0 overall; Iowa Wesleyan University 0-2 overall.
ATTENDANCE: 125
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- AU and Iowa Wesleyan traded baskets for the first couple minutes of the game and after several free-throws, AU led 11-8.
- The Spartans went cold from the field and Iowa Wesleyan heated up from beyond the arc and built numerous double-digit leads with the largest AU deficit being by 11.
- With three minutes left in the first-half and down 11, AU started a 7-0 run to close out the half with the final basket being a three from Marcus Myers.
- The 7-0 run to end the first-half grew to a 25-2 Spartan run. With 15:40 left in the game, AU led 62-50. 
- Max Vickers had eight quick points in the second-half, connecting on a pair of triples.
- Iowa Wesleyan gave the Spartans one last punch, cutting the AU lead down to five (72-67) midway through the second.
- Leading by seven (81-74) with just a few seconds under eight minutes to play, AU finished the game on a 23-10 run, eventually building a game-high lead of 22 points just before the final horn sounded.
- With the 104-84 win, AU advances to the Wartburg College Tournament Final where the Spartans will take on the host Knights on Saturday.
 
FOR THE SPARTANS
- Ty Carlson had 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field.
- Marcus Myers had 22 points and seven rebounds.
- Max Vickers had 16 points and seven rebounds.
- Matt Dunn had nine points, seven assists and six rebounds.
 
SPARTAN STAT LEADERS
POINTS: Ty Carlson (24), Marcus Myers (22) and Max Vickers (16)
REBOUNDS: Marcus Myers and Max Vickers (7)
ASSISTS: Matt Dunn (7)
STEALS: Marcus Myers, Matt Dunn and Max Vickers (2)
BLOCKS: Sean Davis (1)
 
UP NEXT:
Next action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on Saturday, November 18 when they compete in the Wartburg College Tournament. The Spartans will take on Wartburg College. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. in Waverly, Iowa.