ROCKFORD, Ill. – Trae Blumhorst scored 26 points with an efficient offensive performance as Rockford (Ill.) University defeated the Lakeland College men's basketball team 79-73 Saturday afternoon in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game.

The Muskies played from behind almost the entire game and never could get over the hump in the second half in dropping to 12-7 overall. Lakeland also is now 8-6 in the NACC and sits in fifth in the conference with six regular season games to play.

Blumhorst made 9 of 12 shots from the field as well as eight of nine free throw attempts. He scored 13 points in each half and added six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

The Muskies shot 42.4% for the game (25 of 59) from the floor but were ice cold from three-point range. Lakeland hit just 2 of 16 three-point attempts, including 0 of 7 in the first half when Rockford (5-13 overall, 4-9 NACC) built a 38-31 halftime lead.

The Regents eventually led by 11 on two occasions early in the second half, but the Muskies rallied back within one when Tanner Hackl (Jr.-West De Pere, Wis.) scored inside to make it 52-51 with 12:14 to play.

Rockford answered with an 11-2 run to go back ahead by 10 at 63-53, but Lakeland made another run and got back within three points on two occasions, the last time with 5:26 to play when Travis Kell (So.-Madison, Wis.) made two free throws to make it 65-62. The Regents answered with five straight points, though, and the Muskies never got closer than four the remainder of the game.

Kell finished with 12 points to lead the way offensively, while Joey  Burris (Sr.-Kiel, Wis.) and Brandon Hagenow (Jr.-Sussex, Wis.) added 11 points each and Kurt Jansen (Sr.-Wrightstown, Wis.) added 10 points and a team-high six rebounds off the bench.

John O'Bryan added 19 points for Rockford and Michael Murray added 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

The Muskies are home for their next game on Tuesday when they host Concordia University Wisconsin at 7 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.