The Aurora University women's basketball team took on a tough Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors team and came up just short in an exciting fourth quarter rally.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Wisconsin Lutheran College 73, Aurora University 67
LOCATION: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
RECORDS: Aurora University 9-7 overall and 6-6 NACC; Wisconsin Lutheran College 12-4 overall and 10-2 NACC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Spartans jumped out to a quick 8-4 lead, when Allie Reichert connected in the paint with 6:30 left to play in the first quarter.
- AU would hold that their lead until 3:07 remaining in the first half, when a Warrior three-pointer put WLC up 17-15.
- A steal and subsequent layup by Julie Galauner would tie the game again at 17-17, with 2:32 left to play in the opening quarter.
- The Warriors would end the quarter on another three-pointer, and pull ahead of the Spartans, 22-19.
- The second quarter opened with a Warrior run, and the Spartans trailed 28-20 with 7:17 left to play in the first half.
- With 6:56 remaining in the half, AU was able to cut that lead back to four points, 28-24, on an Emma Ruff layup in the paint. 
- Spartan turnovers late in the second quarter helped the Warriors build a lead, and the Spartans would go into halftime down 40-29.
- AU's shooting cooled in the second half and WLC was able to build upon their lead, pulling ahead of the Spartans 53-35 with 4:44 to play in the third quarter.
- Two back-to-back buckets by Sydni Olson in the paint would cut the WLC lead to 59-45, as time expired in the third quarter.
- WLC's lead would hold steady until the 2:04 mark in the fourth quarter, when the Spartans started to mount a comeback. Karissa King's  three-pointer cut the Warrior lead to ten, 69-59.
- Four straight Spartan free throws narrowed the gap to 69-65 with just under a minute to play in regulation.
- The Spartans then looked to foul in an attempt to extend the game and make WLC earn the points from the stripe. The Warriors were able to connect from the free throw line and would go on to win the game 73-67. 

SPARTAN STAT LEADERS
Points: Julie Galauner (18), Meija Rab (14) and Allie Reichert (10)
Assists: Allie Reichert (4)
Rebounds: Allie Reichert (9), Sydni Olson (8), and Karissa King (6)

UP NEXT
Next action for the Spartan women's basketball team comes on Tuesday, January 28 when they travel to  Marian University. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.