MILWAUKEE – The MSOE women's basketball team overcame a 10-point first-half deficit by holding Aurora without a field goal in the third quarter and fending off the visitors for a 58-53 win Saturday afternoon at the Kern Center.

The Raiders (15-6, 13-3 NACC) trailed by 10 in the closing minutes of the second quarter, but rallied for a 19-3 run through the third quarters that the Spartans (12-9, 11-5 NACC) could not overcome.

Junior Holly Denfeld led the way with 26 points and 10 rebounds. She was the only player in double-digits for MSOE, but senior Megan Kroll had seven points and nine rebounds and freshman Brooke Scott buried three 3-pointers for nine points.

Mallory Cast hit five 3-pointers on her way to a team-high 18 points for Aurora. Bethany Dorrington finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Spartans went on a 14-5 run to open up a 32-22 lead with 1:28 remaining in the opening half. The Red & White tallied the final basket of the first half and outscored AU 17-3 in the third quarter. Aurora was limited to 0-for-12 shooting in the period and had a stretch of 13:21 without a field goal that stretched into the fourth quarter.

When the final quarter started, the Raiders had seized a 41-35 lead. Back-to-back Cast three-pointers made it 48-46 with 4:50 remaining in the game. Scott quickly responded with a three-pointer of her own moments later. After a pair of free throws, Denfeld and senior Marly Trier hit back-to-back baskets for a seven-point lead heading into the final minute.

Junior Margaret Pugh hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final 25-plus seconds to seal the game.

MSOE shot 42.1 percent for the game, hitting on 5-of-13 three-point tries, and was 5-for-6 at the free throw line. It also committed just 11 turnovers in the game. The Red & White defense limited the Spartans to 30.2 percent shooting. AU made eight 3-pointers on 25 tries and was 13-for-18 at the free throw line.

With the win, the Raiders clinched a berth in the 2016 NACC Tournament. They return to action Wednesday at Lakeland.