The Lakeland College men's basketball team fell behind 10-0 to start the game and could never catch Benedictine University the rest of the way in a 77-66 loss late Saturday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Eagles led from start to finish, building a 23-point first half lead and then withstanding several rushes from the Muskies in the second half. The win was significant for Benedictine, which improved to 16-8 overall and 14-5 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference and is now one-half game behind first place Aurora University.

Lakeland dropped to 15-9 overall and 11-8 in the NACC, and its fate for seeding in the NACC Tournament is up in the air. The Muskies can clinch the fourth seed in the tourney and a home game in the quarterfinals with a win at home against Edgewood College on Wednesday at 7 p.m. A loss would give Edgewood the fourth seed, though, and could knock Lakeland down as far as seventh in the seedings, depending on other results in the conference.

The Muskies were unable to slow down a hot-shooting Benedictine team on Saturday, as the Eagles came out on fire and never significantly cooled off. Benedictine shot 52.9% for the game (27 of 51), hitting 16 of 29 shots in the first half (55.2%) and still making 11 of 22 in the second half (50.0%).

Benedictine scored the game's first ten points and was in control the entire first half. The Eagles built their largest lead when Tim Reamer converted a three-point play for a 38-15 lead with 1:16 left in the half, and the visitors held a 38-17 lead at halftime.

Lakeland made a spirited rally in the second half, using several spurts to draw within striking distance. An 18-5 run capped by a layup by Eric Nygaard (Fr.-Plymouth, Wis.) cut the deficit to 50-40 with 10:37 to play.

The Muskies also put together an 8-0 run later, with Joey Burris (Sr.-Kiel, Wis.) canning two consecutive three-pointers, the second one cutting Benedictine's lead down to 62-55 with 4:54 left. The Eagles responded with the next six points, though, and went on the gain the split of the season series between the two teams.

Lakeland shot 44.6%, hitting 25 of 56 field goals. Burris finished with 19 points while Jacob Servais (So.-Coon Valley, Wis.) added 10 points and seven rebounds. Zach Van Engen (Jr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) also added a game-high seven assists.

Tim McGinty totaled 16 points and seven rebounds for the Eagles, who finished with four players in double figures and six with eight or more points. Benedictine also won the rebounding battle 38-29.