LISLE, IL - The Benedictine University women's basketball team held off visiting Aurora University to reach the NACC Championship game.

FINAL SCORE
Benedictine 72, Aurora 64

THE DETAILS
• Four different players scored to open the game as Benedictine built an early 9-0 lead
• The lead reached double figures at 11-1 on a layup from Allison Michalski with 6:12 left in the opening quarter
• The visitors pulled within four but Benedictine closed the first quarter on a 10-0 run capped by a basket from Jordan Carlquist to lead 21-7
• Aurora used a 10-0 run to pull within 25-21 late in the second but Benedictine took a 28-21 lead into the break after a late three from Britney Pitzer
• Aurora started knocking down shots in the second half, slowly chipping away and responding to every Benedictine run
• An 8-0 run enabled Aurora to lead for the first time at 55-53 with 8:06 remaining in the fourth and the teams traded the lead for the next several minutes
• Two Aurora free throws tied the game at 64 with 2:01 to play, but Benedictine scored the next four points on baskets from Michalski and Carlquist to take the lead for good
• Benedictine closed the game on an 8-0 run and cleaned up the glass on Aurora misses to limit any second chances

STAT LEADERS
• Benedictine shot 61 percent in the fourth quarter and finished the game shooting 47.6 percent
• Benedictine, who did not attempt a three-pointer in the fourth quarter, held a 41-34 edge on the glass in a game that saw five ties and six lead changes
• Benedictine scored 46 points in the paint while defeating Aurora for the second time this week
• Claire Gibler led Benedictine with 20 points, a season high, while adding six rebounds and three assists
• Michalski notched 19 to go with nine rebounds while Carlquist tacked on a career best 10 with four rebounds and three assists

UP NEXT
Benedictine (6-0) will host the Wisconsin Lutheran next Saturday at 2:00 p.m. for the NACC Championship