The Aurora University men's basketball team returned to Lancaster Court inside Thornton Gymnasium on Friday night for another non-conference match-up, this time with the visiting Big Blue of Millikin University The Spartans fought hard to overcome a double-digit halftime deficit but came up just shy as they fell 76-67.


FINAL SCORE: Millikin University 76, Aurora University 67
LOCATION: Lancaster Court in Thornton Gymnasium - Aurora, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 1-1 overall, Millikin University 2-0 overall


- AU opened up a quick 2-0 lead on a lay-up from Michael Osborne but then Millikin used a 9-0 run to lead by seven 4:30 into the game.
- The Spartans were cold from three-point range in the first-half, going 1-of-14 while the visitors hit six.
- AU went to halftime trailing 41-24.
- Coming out in the second-half the Spartans picked up the intensity on the defensive end which led to buckets on the offensive end.
- A Josh Holmes layup with 10 minutes to play in the game brought the Spartans to within five at 48-43 and forced a Millikin timeout.
- The Holmes basket was part of a 19-7 Spartan run in the half.
- Noah Butler had seven points while Michael Osborne added five in the run to start the second.
- Millikin would answer out of the timeout and built the lead back to double digits but the Spartans were not finished.
- Several turnovers led to AU layups in the final minute as AU brought the deficit back into single digits at seven.
- But the Spartans ran out of time and would fall 76-67.
 

Points: Michael Osborne (20), Noah Butler (16) and Joevonn McCottry (15)
Assists: Joevonn McCottry (3)
Rebounds: Michael Osborne (8) and Noad Butler (7)
Steals: Joevonn McCottry (5) and Josh Holmes (4)


Next action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on Wednesday, November 15 when they travel to North Central College. Tip-off is set for  7:00 p.m in Naperville, Illinois.