Brandon James (Jr.-Rockford, Ill.) scored a game-high 25 points but Northland College got off to a red-hot start and answered every run to defeat the Lakeland University men's basketball team 85-79 in both teams' season openers Tuesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The visiting LumberJacks raced out to an early 17-4 lead and hit 10 of their 12 three-pointers in the first half to build a 50-37 halftime lead. Northland then staved off repeated advances by the Muskies and hit its free throws down the stretch to snap a seven-game losing streak to Lakeland, winning for the first time in the series since 1997.

The visitors shot a sizzling 63.3% in the first half and hit 10 of 16 from three-point range, trailing just once in the game at 2-0. Six players hit triples, and the Muskies were put in a pursuit mode that they never were able to shed.

Lakeland shot 50% itself in the first half and responded to Northland's early run, getting within 33-31 on a jumper by James with 4:51 left in the half. The LumberJacks responded with a 17-6 run to close out the half, a run that included four more three-pointers plus a three-point play by Murdock Smith in the final minute to make it 50-37.

The Muskies continued to chase in the second half and got within four on three occasions early in the half, then crept even nearer at 67-64 when Pat McDonald (So.-Port Washington, Wis.) hit a pull-up jumper with 6:58 left in the game. Northland responded again, though, and Rijo Jackson hit a three-pointer with 4:32 left to make it 73-64. The LumberJacks then made 10 of 12 free throws in the final minute as Lakeland never got closer than six the rest of the game.

James hit 8 of 18 from the field and 6-for-6 from the line and also added six assists. Joshuan McNeal (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) scored 18 points off the bench and McDonald added 15 points plus a team-high six rebounds. Mark Gryszkiewicz (Sr.-Sussex, Wis.) also chipped in nine points and a game-high five steals.

Jackson scored 18 to lead Northland, which cooled off in the second half but finished the game shooting 50% (28 of 56), including 12 of 27 from three-point range. Smith added 13 points off the bench as the LumberJacks received 34 points from their bench.

Lakeland finished shooting 47.6% (30 of 63). Northland also won the rebounding battle 36-29 and hit 17 of 21 from the charity stripe (81.0%).

The Muskies are home again Thursday when they welcome the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for a 7 p.m. tip at the Woltzen Gymnasium.