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Aurora University Athletics

Score Board

©Steve Woltmann
79
North Central (IL) NCC 2-1,0-0 CCIW
81
Winner Aurora AUR 2-1,0-0 NACC
North Central (IL) NCC
2-1,0-0 CCIW
79
Final
81
Aurora AUR
2-1,0-0 NACC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
North Central (IL) NCC 32 37 10 79
Aurora AUR 33 36 12 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Eric Teverbaugh

Spartans knock off Cardinals in overtime thriller

The Aurora University men's basketball team hosted North Central College for a non-conference battle. The Spartans would win in an overtime nail-biter 81-79 with a lay-up from Julian Gatewood with 2.1 seconds to play being the game-winner.
 
The Basics
FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 81, North Central College 79
LOCATION: Thornton Gymnasium - Aurora, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 2-1 overall; North Central College 2-1 overall
 
How it happened
- AU faced their largest deficit at 11 (19-8) with 11:15 left in the first-half.
- The Spartans trailed 19-14 halfway through the first half. Michael Osborne and Joevonn McCottry led the Spartans scoring with six points a piece to that point.
- With 7:02 left in the first half, Nathan Yockey knocks down a three to bring the Spartan within two at 21-19.
- In back-to-back possessions, Justin Wilson scored to bring the Spartans within one at 30-29.
- With five seconds left in the first half, Noah Butler drove for a layup to give the Spartans a 33-32 lead going into halftime.
- The Spartans brought up the tempo in the first two and a half minutes scoring the first eight points of the second half and led 41-32 and forced a NCC timeout.
- With 9:50 left in the game, Justin Wilson knocked down the jumper to expand the Spartans lead to 52-48.
- AU would give up the lead with 6:18 to go and eventually trailed by five with just under three minutes to play.
- A short time later and with 2:05 left in the game, Noah Butler knocked down the free throws to tie the game at 63-63.
- The teams traded leads four times in the final two minutes but neither team could wrestle away a large lead.
- Tied at 69-69, the Spartans and Cardinals head to overtime.
- To start the overtime, Noah Butler gets the and-one layup to take the lead 72-71.
- The overtime period would see the game tied three times and six lead changes.
- With 2:03 left in overtime, JT Daniels converted the layup on a key offensive rebound to tie the game 76-76.
- With a Justin Wilson free throw and Noah Butler layup, AU led by three with 1:19 to play.
- NCC tied the game on a three with 59 seconds to play, setting up a dramatic final minute of action.
- An AU turnover and a missed basket from North Central gave AU the ball with eight second to play.
- Spartan Julian Gatewood drove the lane for a basket to give the Spartans an 81-79 lead with 2.1 seconds to go.
- Au desperation shot by North Central went wide off the backboard  as time expired and AU was victorious.
- The Spartans would win the overtime thriller, 81-79.

Spartan Leaders
Points: Noah Butler (24), Justin Wilson (15), Julian Gatewood and Michael Osborne (12)
Assists: Michael Osborne (4)
Rebounds: Julian Gatewood and Michael Osborne (7)
Steals: JT Daniels and Joevonn McCottry  (2)
 
Up Next
Next action for the Spartan Men's Basketball team comes when they travel to Augustana College on Saturday, November 19, in Carver P.E. Center. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Rock Island, Illinois.
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