Aurora (Ill.) University rained in 13 three-pointers, delivering hot shooting the Lakeland University men's basketball team couldn't overcome in a 90-79 loss Saturday afternoon in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The visiting Spartans hit 13 of 22 three-pointers on the day, actually finishing slightly behind their average for triples made in a game early in the season but improving their already-gaudy nearly 45% success rate from deep. Aurora used the three ball to take control of the game midway through the first half and stayed in control the rest of the way to defeat the Muskies for the fifth straight time in the series.

Lakeland (1-5 overall, 1-3 NACC) got off to a good start in the game's early minutes, with Joshuan McNeal (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) scoring six quick points as the Muskies took an 8-2 lead. The Spartans quickly turned the game around, though, using an 18-2 run that included five three-pointers and resulted in a 22-12 lead.

Lakeland spent the rest of the game in trail mode. The Muskies were down by 14 late in the first half before Kyle Domark (So.-Yorkville, Ill.) drained back-to-back three-pointers to close out the first half, including one at the buzzer that made it 40-32 at the break.

Aurora led by 15 early in the second half, but Lakeland bounced back to close within seven on two occasions, the second time when Pat McDonald (So.-Port Washington, Wis.) made two free throws to cut the Spartans' lead to 71-64 with 8:41 left. The guests responded with seven straight points, though, and the Muskies never got closer than eight the rest of the way.

McDonald scored 26 points and added seven rebounds and four assists while playing 39 minutes. McNeal scored 23 and added nine rebounds, while Eric Nygaard (Jr.-Plymouth, Wis.) added 11 points and Domark scored nine off the bench, hitting three three-pointers.

Lakeland shot 46.8%, making 29 of 62 from the field, including 5 of 18 from three-point range. Aurora hit 30 of 62 field goals (48.4%), and Jovonn Griffin scored 22 points to lead four players in double figures.

The Muskies now have a six-day break before next playing Silver Lake College on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Woltzen Gymnasium.