The Lakeland University men's basketball team used a huge second half spurt to turn a close game into a rout, defeating Dominican University 86-55 Tuesday night in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play.
The Muskies outscored the Stars 26-5 over a stretch early in the second half, turning a two-point game into a 23-point bulge. Lakeland kept adding on, scoring at least 84 points for the fourth time in five games, and improved to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in NACC play.
The Muskies followed up a cold first half by shooting 52.9% over the final 20 minutes, making 18 of 34 shots in the second half. Just as importantly, they limited Dominican (1-3 overall, 0-2 NACC) to 26.5% shooting in the second half (9 of 34) and 31.4% for the game, with the Stars making just 22 of 70 on the night.
Joshuan McNeal (
Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) scored nine straight points at the end of the run that put the Muskies well ahead. He converted a pair of three-point plays and also knocked down a three-pointer as Lakeland took a 62-39 lead with 12:02 left in the game. The Stars never got closer than 19 points the rest of the way, as in all the Muskies outscored the hosts 51-23 in the second half.
The game was close in the first half, with the teams swapping the lead seven times and both teams making runs that resulted in a three-point game at halftime. Lakeland went on an 14-2 spree midway through the half to take a 28-17 lead, but Dominican came back with a 15-5 surge to get within one at one point before the Muskies took a 35-32 lead to the break.
Lakeland received balanced scoring with five players scoring in double figures.
Pat McDonald (
Jr.-Port Washington, Wis.) scored 16 points,
Shakur Jinad (
So.-Chicago, Ill.) scored 15, McNeal and
Zach Hasenstein (
Fr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) totaled 14 each and
Eric Nygaard (
Jr.-Plymouth, Wis.) added 13 points plus a team-high 11 rebounds. The Muskies shot 31 of 72 for the game (43.1%) and outrebounded Dominican 54-47.
Antonio Amoah scored 12 points off the bench and was the only double-digit scorer for the Stars. Jonny Woolf added six points and 13 rebounds.
Lakeland is home again Saturday when it welcomes Milwaukee School of Engineering for a 2 p.m. tip at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium. The Muskies will look to avenge their only loss of the season so far, a defeat at MSOE just a week earlier in Milwaukee.
