Box Score
AURORA, Ill. – The Edgewood College men's basketball team shot well, but not well enough as host Aurora University surpassed the century mark with a 103-87 Northern Athletics Conference win at Thornton Gymnasium on Saturday evening.
The Eagles (2-5, 1-1 NAC) were 12-for-22 (54.5 percent) from the three-point arc and were solid from the field as well going 28-for-63 (44.4 percent) in the game. Aurora reached the 100-point plateau for the second consecutive game and moved to 2-0 in the NAC South Division with the win.
In the first half, there were two ties and 10 lead changes and neither team led by more than five points through the first 10 minutes. Aurora (3-4, 2-0 NAC) tied the game for the second time at 20-20, and then went on to find its offensive niche. The Spartans set off on a 16-4 run and increased their lead to as many as 17 in the period before taking a 52-40 lead to the break.
Aurora's Chad Trudo finished the half with 22 points and was 12-for-12 from the charity stripe. The Eagles were led by a couple of freshmen. Ben Wisniewski scored 11 while Kent Faurote added 10 off the bench.
The second half turned into much of the same for the home team. Aurora built its lead to 19 points at 73-54 with under 11:30 left in the second half. The Eagles, who also boast a high-scoring attach, mounted a big comeback with a three-point basket from Faurote to cut the lead to 83-78 at the 7:22 mark.
However, the Spartans would erase and hopes of a comeback as they answered with an 8-0 run thanks to three straight buckets by Shane Roland. Aurora would go onto win by a comfortable margin and put six players in double figures led by Trudo's game-high 30 points on 6-of-15 shooting and was a perfect 16-for-16 from the free throw line.
Roland added 22 points and three steals in just 21 minutes of action. The Eagles put just three in double figures led by Faurote's 23 points off the pine. Wisniewski had 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting including 5-for-5 from beyond the three-point arc and 3-for-3 from the free throw line. Jeff Barczak recorded his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort.
The Eagles will enjoy a week off as they prepare for their conference home opener against Benedictine University in the second game of a men's/women's double header on Saturday, December 13 at the Todd Wehr Edgedome. Tip-off is slated for 4:15 p.m.
