MILWAUKEE -- Host Alverno College defeated Benedictine University, 53-49, in a thrilling Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference contest Tuesday evening in the Inferno's home finale as seniors Julie Gallegos and Brooke McBain were honored.

With the game tied 49-49 with two minutes to play Alverno (13-11, 10-9 NACC) scored the final four points of the contest to secure the win.

After a possession in which the Eagles (15-9, 12-7 NACC) got off, but missed three shots, the Inferno'sDonna Zehner finally secured the defensive rebound and Gabby Hood found an open Mackenzie Mathies who drained a 3-pointer from the left wing for the go-ahead score.

Hood added a 1-of-2 trip at the free-throw line with 14 seconds left on the clock for the final score of the game and the Alverno defense -- which held Benedictine to under 30 percent from the field -- kept the Eagles from scoring on the final possession.

Katelyn Bartlett shot an impressive 6-of-8 from the floor for a team-high 12 points while Hood registered her second consecutive double-double with 11 points, a game-high 15 rebounds and four assists.

Benedictine was held scoreless the final 6:30 of the first quarter and the first 2:30 of the second as Alverno went on 14-0 run during that span to take an 18-11 lead. Yet the Eagles scored the final six points of the second quarter to tie the game at 26-26 as the teams headed to halftime.

Despite the win tonight the Inferno was eliminated from NACC Tournament contention as Lakeland College topped Wisconsin Lutheran College, 48-47, to claim the sixth and final spot. Alverno just missed out on finishing in the top half of the league, but did secure the program's third winning season in the past four years -- also just the third winning season in the 16-year history of the program.

Alverno closes out 2015-16 Saturday at Marian University. Tipoff is at 2 p.m. up in Fond du Lac.