Spartans Snag Women's Basketball

AURORA, Ill. – The Concordia Wisconsin women's basketball team battled on Wednesday night in a showdown between two of the strongest programs in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. The Spartans defended their home court with a 72-64 victory to improve to 15-6 and 8-4 in the NACC ad send the Falcons to 10-10 and 7-4 in conference play.

The two teams started the game with a back-and-forth battle on Wednesday with the lead exchanging hands five times in the first three minutes.

A three-point basket gave the Spartans the biggest lead of the quarter at 18-14 and that was the lead that the Black and Blue took into the second quarter. Freshman Jayden Ross (Baraboo, Wis.) led the flock with six points in the first quarter.

The teams exchanged three three-point baskets to start the scoring in the second quarter, with freshman Andrea Butterbrodt (Green Bay, Wis.) scoring the basket for the Falcons off a pass from junior Lindsey Lonigro (Deerfield, Wis.).

The Spartans pushed the lead up to 28-19 but the Falcons continued to chip away starting with junior Aubrey DeBauch (Gillett, Wis.) scoring three points the old-fashioned way and a layup from senior Erin Viergutz (Clintonville, Wis.). A pair of free throws cut the deficit to 26-28 before the Spartans dropped five quick points over a 43-second stretch. Aubrey DeBauch scored the next four points to make it a one-possession game again.

A layup from Jayden Ross put the Falcons within a point with 17 seconds left in the half, but the Spartans took a 38-34 lead into halftime.

Aubrey DeBauch scored the first three points of the third quarter to bring the Falcons within a point, but the Spartans pushed back to 52-42.

A 7-0 run brought the birds back within striking distance with 1:30 left in the quarter. DeBauch had six of the points in the run.

The Spartans held a 56-49 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Sophomore Ava Booth (Plymouth, Wis.) trimmed the deficit to 56-53 with 8:41 left in the contest, but that is the closest Concordia could get. Aurora elevated the lead to 10 points on four occasions to claim the victory.

Aubrey DeBauch dominated the night with a game-high 25 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Ava Booth finished a point shy of a double-double performance with 11 rebounds and nine points. The 11 rebounds tie her career high.

Erin Viergutz finished with 12 points against Aurora.

The Falcons continue their tour of the NACC on Saturday at first-place Wisconsin Lutheran.