The Aurora University men's basketball team fought, clawed and scratched their way past the visiting Eagles of Benedictine University on Tuesday night on Lancaster Court in Thornton Gymnasium. A pair of late free-throws with 0.4 seconds to go were the game-winning points as AU prevailed over BU 57-55.
 

FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 57, Benedictine University 55
LOCATION: Thornton Gymnasium - Aurora, Illinois 
RECORDS: Aurora University 10-5 overall and 5-3 in the NACC; Benedictine University 6-9 overall and 4-4 in the NACC


- After trading the lead early, Nolan Boffman put the Spartans ahead 5-4 with 16:40 to go on the first-half clock. That would be the last time the Spartans would trail in the contest.
- A three from Tre Hamilton put AU ahead 10-6 with 15:44 to play. That would be the last basket for either team for almost three minutes of game action.
- An 8-0 Spartan run fueled by three straight Boffman baskets gave the Spartans a 10-point lead (24-14) with 6:34 remaining.
- With 2:52 left, a JT Daniels steal and layup from Trey Jenkins put AU ahead by the largest lead of the game of 12 at 31-19.
- BU would close out the first on a 10-1 run as AU led 32-29 going to intermission.
- The Spartans opened the second on a 9-2 run with four points from Daniels and a three from Julian Gatewood.
- 4:15 into the second, AU had a 10 point lead at 41-31.
- With AU ahead 12, BU used another run, this time a 13-3 run spanning five minutes of action. AU led 48-46 with 8:30 to play.
- From there the game had another offensive low with the score remaining 50-48 for three minutes when Justin Wilson converted a layup to push AU ahead 52-48.
- The Spartans led 55-51 with 2:16 to go and it was the visitors who would score the next four points of the game,
- A basket with 1:03 on the clock tied the score 55-55 with AU calling a timeout.
- After a missed AU shot, Benedictine called time out with 24.4 seconds to play in the game.
- Coming out of the timeout, the Eagles drove the basket with six seconds to play, missed with Noah Butler grabbing the rebound.
- Butler quickly found a streaking Nolan Boffman down court and with 0.4 seconds, a foul was called on the layup, sending Boffman to the free throw line.
- Boffman missed the first but made the second to give AU a 56-55 lead.
- The BU inbounds pass went off the Thornton Gymnasium ceiling which gave the Spartans the ball back.
- Butler was then fouled on the inbounds play and he made the first free throw before intentionally missing the second and AU was victorious 57-55.


Points: Nolan Boffman and Joevonn McCottrr (13)
Assists: JT Daniels (3) 
Rebounds: Tre Hamilton (10) and JT Daniels (6)
Steals: Noah Butler, Joevonn McCottry and JT Daniels (2)


Next action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on Saturday, January 14 when they travel to Lakeland University. Opening tip-off is slated for 2:00 p.m. in Plymouth, Wisconsin.