LISLE, IL - The Benedictine University women's basketball team held off visiting sixth-seeded Aurora University in the opening round of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament to move on to the semifinals.


Benedictine 71, Aurora 64


• Benedictine did not trail in the game, opening the contest with a three-pointer from Madisyn Fischer on the opening possession
• A pair of free throws from D'Asia Williams pushed the lead to eight points at 13-5 midway through the first quarter
• Benedictine led 15-10 after the first and extended the edge to double digits at 27-16 on a triple from Venita Parsons at the 5:23 mark of the second
• The three was part of a 9-0 run capped on a layup from Allison Michalski to make the score 29-16 with 4:44 remaining in the half
• Bennita Drain capped a 4-0 spurt to close the half with a coast-to-coast layup as Benedictine went into the break leading 40-22
• Fischer pushed the lead to 49-26 early in the third with a jumper as part of a 7-0 run
• Williams splashed home a three-pointer with 2:43 left in the third before Aurora closed with a 6-1 run to draw within 58-45 at the end of the third
• Aurora's momentum continued into the fourth, netting the first six points to fight within 58-51 with 7:31 to go
• Aurora was able to pull within five points twice at 63-58 and again at 69-64 with 1:15 to play, but could pull no closer


• Benedictine shot 45.7 percent in the first half while holding Aurora to just 27.6 percent but Aurora shot 51.4 percent in the second
• Benedictine finished the game shooting 41.5 percent and held a 45-37 edge on the glass
• The difference in the game came from beyond the arc where Benedictine connected on eight three-pointers
• Williams led all scorers with 22 points while Fischer finished with 19
• Michalski notched 14 points with Parsons adding 13


Benedictine (18-8) will meet second-seeded Concordia Wisconsin in the first NACC Tournament semifinal on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Milwaukee, Wis. at Wisconsin Lutheran. The teams split the regular season meetings with each winning at home.