ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The Spalding University women's basketball team overcame 29-24 halftime deficit to edge Aurora University, 55-51, in their season opener at the Cavallo Webster Tipoff in St. Louis, Mo.

SU's Dee Dee Sliter led all scorers with 20 points while grabbing three rebounds and snatching three steals. Sophomore transfer Mackenzie Myers also finished in double- figures tallying 16 points and six rebounds.

Bethany Dorrington led the Spartans recording a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

The Golden Eagles crawled out of the gate falling behind by 11 just over seven minutes into the first period. Sliter got to work in the final two minutes of the quarter scoring Spalding's final five points to help SU cut the deficit to eight heading into the second period.

The Spartans started the second period on a 4-0 run pushing their lead to 12, their largest lead of the game. The Eagles answered with a 12-0 run over the next five minutes. Myers and Sliter scored the first seven points, Brandy Hunter knocked down a three-pointer and Maria George connected on a jumper to knot the score at 22-22. Aurora responded with a seven unanswered points, but Sliter hit a jumper with four seconds to play cutting the deficit to five points at the half.

Spalding came out firing to start the second half. Again, Myers and Sliter led the Golden Eagle charge combining to score SU's first six points of the half cutting the deficit to two points, and Maddie Martin knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game at 32-32. Freshman Alex Martin gave SU the lead following a pair of trips to the free throw line hitting 3-of-4 four attempts. SU went on to outscore Aurora 7-2 to close the quarter taking a 42-33 lead into the final quarter. The Golden Eagles outscore AU 18-4 in the third quarter to turn a five point deficit into a nine point lead.

Aurora knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to cut the Golden Eagle lead to three points, but Myers halted the Spartan run pushing the SU lead back to five points. Sliter converted an and-one to extend Spalding's lead to seven with 4:47 to play and SU hung on to win, 55-51.

The Golden Eagles will be back in action tomorrow at 2 p.m. EST when they take on the Illinois Institute of Technology in the final game of the Cavallo Webster Tipoff Classic.