The Benedictine University men's basketball team will face a familiar foe when the NACC Tournament opens on Saturday night. Benedictine, currently playing their best basketball of the year having won four straight and seven of eight, earned the fifth seed and will open on the road against fourth-seeded Aurora at 7:00 p.m.

Benedictine closed the regular season with a 14-11 record including a 12-8 mark in conference play. Aurora has also won four consecutive contests since a 79-69 loss to Benedictine at the Rice Center on February 5. The Spartans tied for third in the conference with a 14-6 record, but lost the tiebreaker to Lakeland. Aurora owns a 17-8 mark overall. Both teams won at home during the regular season. The winner of the contest faces the victor in the Wisconsin Lutheran-Marian contest.

Benedictine owns a record of 5-5 all-time in the tournament in five appearances and will make their fourth straight tonight. The Eagles won the 2010-11 tourney. Benedictine was eliminated by Aurora in the tournament last year, falling 87-67 on the road. The rivals also met in the 2011 and 2012 tournaments with Benedictine collecting wins. Aurora knocked out Benedictine in the semifinals in 2009 when Benedictine was the top seed and again in 2008. Benedictine is 2-3 against Aurora in the tournament.

Tim McGinty enters the tournament ranking in a tie for fourth in the conference in scoring at 16.0 points per game while also sitting seventh in rebounds (7.0) and fourth in three-point percentage (41.4). Benedictine leads the conference in rebound margin and also ranks among the best in free throw percentage.

Aurora will have live stats and video while the Benedictine broadcast crew will travel for an audio only broadcast.

Conference Tournament Website

First Round Pairings
No. 8 Wisconsin Lutheran at No. 1 Marian [Live Stats | Video]
No. 7 Edgewood at No. 2 MSOE [Live Stats | Video]
No. 6 Concordia Wisconsin at No. 3 Lakeland [Live Stats | Video]
No. 5 Benedictine at No. 4 Aurora [Live Stats | Video]