The Aurora University men's basketball team opened the 2023-2024 season with a dominating 86-61 victory over non-conference opponent Eureka College on Wednesday night. AU never trailed in the contest as five different Spartans reached double figures in scoring and all 10 AU players who played scored on the night


FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 86, Eureka College 61
LOCATION: Lancaster Court in Thornton Gymnasium - Aurora, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 1-0 overall, Eureka College 0-1 overall


- AU opened the game on a 17-4 run that included a couple of three-pointers from Noah Butler and Michael Osborne.
- An Osborne step back jumper gave the Spartans their largest lead of the first half at 28-11 with 10:36 to go.
- Eureka slowly chipped away at the AU lead and with 3:43 left in the first-half, the Spartans led by just four at 36-32.
- A 6-0 run in the final 1:41 gave the Spartans a 44-34 lead going into the halftime break.
- Osborne led AU with 11 points on an efficient five-of-seven shooting in the first half.
- The Spartans shot 50% from beyond the arc in the first half.
- The first half also saw AU out rebound the Red Devils 18-12 which included 12 second chance points for the Spartans.
- After Eureka went on a run to cut the lead to two about three minutes into the second half, a pair of baskets from Josh Holmes put the Spartans back in offensive rhythm. 
- Over six minutes of game action from 13:49 to 7:20, the Spartans went on an 18-4 run that saw six of those points come from Dwayne Jervier Jr.
- The run allowed AU to coast to an 86-61 victory.
- Five different Spartans scored in double figures including a 21-point game from Osborne, who also had three steals.
- AU forced the Red Devils into comitting eight turnovers in the second half as they scored 12 points off those turnovers.
- The Spartans saw 31 points from their bench in the game including a dozen from Jervier Jr who also finished the night with a double-double.
 

Points: Michael Osborne (21), Joevonn McCottry and Noah Butler (13) and Dwayne Jervier Jr. (12)
Assists: Michael Osborne, Isaiah Davis and Mekhi Doby (4)
Rebounds: Dwayne Jervier Jr. (10) and Noad Butler
Steals: Michael Osborne (3)


Next action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on Friday, November 10 when they host Milikin University. Tip-off is set for  7:00 p.m on Lancaster Court in Thornton Gymnasium.