The Dominican University women's basketball team outscored the visiting Aurora University Spartans 45-30 after the half to claim a 73-57 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) win and improve to 9-4 on the season and 5-3 in league play.
 
"This was a good team win for us," said Amanda Parker, the Stars' second-year head coach, following her team's conference win. "Some players are really starting to accept their roles and make the most of it. I am really proud of how we are gelling as a team right now."
 
"It was not a perfect game by any means," continued Parker, "but that's okay…It allows us to continue mastering our craft. We have a quick turnaround—traveling to Rockford on Thursday—so we will enjoy this win tonight, then refocus tomorrow."
 
Amari Stafford paced four Stars' in double-figures, dropping in a team-high 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting, including 5-for-9 from three, while Nyema Burns, who had a triple-double in the Stars' win over Aurora in the 2019 NACC Women's Basketball Tournament, added a season-high 14 points, grabbed seven boards and blocked five shots.  Alexis Hoskins notched her third double-double of the season and second straight, dropping in 12 points and pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds and Alisha Markley came off the bench to score 11 points and dished out a team-high seven assists.
 
After the Stars built up a ten-point, 18-8, lead early in the second quarter, the Spartans used a 15-0 run, as the Stars went on a near five-minute scoreless drought, to open their largest lead of the night, 23-18, midway through the second quarter.
 
Dominican managed to reclaim the lead, 28-27, when Timiya Ray had a rebound and put-back with just 18 seconds to play in the half.
 
After the break, the Stars and Spartans traded leads over the first four minutes of the third quarter until a three by Markley gave the Stars a 34-32 lead and Dominican would never trail again.
 
After closing the third quarter on an 8-2 run, the Stars scored the first six points of the fourth to start to pull away.
 
Aurora did manage to string together one run in the fourth, trimming the Stars' lead down to four, 53-49 midway through the quarter, but Dominican answered with a 20-8 run to close out the game.
 
Julie Galauner led the Spartans in the loss, scoring a game-high 24 points on 7-for-19 shooting, going 4-for-9 from three and converting on six of seven attempts from the foul line.
 
The Stars return to action on Thursday, traveling to Rockford University for a NACC tilt with the Regents. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.