The Aurora University women's basketball team will enter the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference tournament for the seventh time in 12 NACC seasons.  The Spartans finished the 2017-2018 regular season with a 14-11 overall record and 12-8 in the NACC to earn the sixth seed.  Aurora University will travel Lisle, Illinois to take on rival Benedictine University for Wednesday's First Round matchup with the Eagles.  Tip-off inside the Dan and Ada Rice Center is set for 7:00 p.m.
 
Match-up –
The Eagles will host the Spartans for the second time this season on their home court.  Benedictine has won nine of the last ten matchups against the Spartans including their Dec. 2 matchup 72-61.  The Spartans have come a long way since their last meeting with the Eagles and come into the NACC Tournament winning six of their last seven contests.  The last time the Spartans defeated the Eagles was on Jan. 19, 2016, the season the Spartans made it to the NACC Tournament Championship game. 
 
All-Time NACC Championship History –

• - AU has made the NACC Tournament six previous times and is 3-6 overall record in the tournament.
• - AU's best finish in the NACC Tournament was back in the 2015-2016 when they made it to the championship game falling to Wisconsin Lutheran College 61-52.
• - Wisconsin Lutheran College has won seven of the 11 NACC Tournaments and will be hosting the NACC Final Four this Saturday and Sunday inside the Recreation Complex, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 
• - Defending NACC Tournament Champion Lakeland University is the No. 4 seed and will host No. 5 Concordia Chicago on Wednesday in Plymouth, Wisconsin. 

 
About the Spartans –

• - Freshmen, Julie Galauner is the Spartans leading scorer and is fourth in the NACC averaging 15.9 points a game.  She is also shooting 40.9-percent from behind the three-point arc, which is third in the conference. 
• - Junior, Adriana Ramirez is the Spartans leading rebounder averaging 8.9 per game which is tied for third in the NACC. 
• - Junior, Alyssa Brems is averaging 11.5 points a game on the season. 

About NACC Opponents –

• - Benedictine is one of three schools that has been in the NACC tournament all 12 times, and has a record of 9-11 in NACC post season play.  The Eagles have never won the NACC Tournament title.
• - Top seeded Wisconsin Lutheran College went 22-3 on the season 18-2 in the NACC.
• - No. 2 seed Concordia Wisconsin and No. 4 Lakeland University round out the other potential favorites to win the NACC Tournament.

 
Up Next for the Spartans –
With a victory over Benedictine, the Spartans would travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to take on #1 Wisconsin Lutheran College.  Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 24.