Box Score The Dominican University women’s basketball team picked up its first victory under first-year head coach Gabby Johnson on Wednesday night, topping the visiting Aurora University Spartans 70-64 in Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) South Division action.  Trailing 21-17 at the half, the Stars erupted for 53 second half points to race to the victory.
 
Junior guard Katie Budz (Orland Park, Ill.) scored 19 of her season-high 21 points in the second half and dished out four assists in the second stanza including assisting on a Allie Tapanes’s (Winfield, Ill.) three-pointer with 4:56 remaining to give the Stars the lead, 47-46, for good.  Budz was a perfect 10-for-10 at the foul line on the night, including going 8-for-8 in the final two minutes.
 
Laura Knieps (Tinley Park, Ill.) shook off a slow start, 0-for-5 from the field in the first half, to finish with 18 points, scoring 14 in the second half, while Stacy Reynolds (La Grange Park, Ill.) posted her sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 14 rebounds in the winning effort.
 
Aurora was led by Neely Marks who scored 16 points off the Spartans’ bench.  Marks was 8-for-11 from the field and pulled down five boards in 23 minutes.
 
The win improves the Stars to 1-20 on the season and 1-12 in conference.  The Stars will look for win number two on Saturday when they travel to Milwaukee, Wis., to take on the MSOE Raiders.  Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in the Kern Center.