AU Men’s Basketball Gets NCAA Tournament First Round Bye

AURORA, Ill. February 27, 2005 - Aurora University’s men’s basketball team will represent the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference in the 2005 NCAA Division III Championships. The Spartans received a first round bye and will host the winner of Thursday, March 3rd’s first round match-up between Wheaton College (Ill.) and Calvin College on Saturday, February 5, 2005, at home in Thornton Gymnasium. Game time was not available at the time of this release. AU is 13-0 at home this season and 54-4 in Thornton Gymnasium since the 2000-2001 season.

The bid is the Spartans fourth selection to the NCAA Championships and second as the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference automatic qualifier in three years. AU defeated Benedictine University 69-66 in the NIIC tournament championship game to receive the NIIC automatic qualifying bid.

In his 11th season as head coach, James Lancaster’s men’s team finished the regular season 23-4, 11-1 and Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference regular season and tournament champions.

This will be Coach Lancaster’s fifth appearance in the NCAA tournament, four times as head coach of the men’s basketball team and once as head coach of the Aurora women’s basketball team.

Leading the way for the Spartans in the NCAA tournament is freshman forward Larry Welton, averaging 20.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per contest. Joining Welton in leading AU is senior guard Adam McCoy, averaging 16.2 points on 40.3 percent shooting from three-point range, senior forward Drew Gronau is averaging 12.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.56 assists, while junior guard Courtney Carson averages 10.3 points and 4.15 assist per game for the Spartans.

AU’s last appearance was following the 2002-2003 season. The Spartans defeated Trinity (TX.) in the first round 67-66 before falling in the second round to Occidental College in Los Angeles, California 80-61.

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