The Lakeland University men's basketball team looked like it was down for the count but went on a massive run late to roar back and defeat Edgewood College 79-73 Wednesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game.

The Muskies outscored the Eagles 31-5 over a span of nine minutes late in the game, rallying from an 18-point deficit. Lakeland caught fire offensively and locked down on defense for a big NACC win and improved to 11-6 overall and 8-5 in conference play.

Edgewood (6-11 overall, 6-6 NACC) controlled the game for the entire first half and well into the second and led by as much as 18 at 54-36 with 14 minutes 16 seconds left in the game. The Eagles still led 60-43 after a short jumper by Emil Radisevic with 11:54 left when the Muskies began their comeback.

Three straight baskets cut the guests' lead to 11, though Edgewood built it back up to 14 at 63-49 with 8:57 left. Lakeland scored the next 13 points, though, to close within one, and after an Eagles layup, Zach Hasenstein (Fr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) hit a three-pointer and was fouled, and his four-point play gave the Muskies a 66-65 lead with 4:35 to play.

Lakeland still was not done, and three-pointers by Pat McDonald (Jr.-Port Washington, Wis.) and Carlos Campos (So.-Janesville, Wis.) sandwiched around a layup by Shakur Jinad (So.-Chicago, Ill.) pushed the Muskies suddenly to a 74-65 lead. Lakeland then had to hold on in the final minute when Edgewood sliced the deficit back down to three points and had possession to get within one or tie, but the Eagles did not score again and the Muskies closed it out at the free throw line.

The Muskies needed a superb finish to answer Edgewood's excellence for much of the game. The Eagles shot 51.8% for the night (29 of 56), and were at 60% at one point after making their first nine field goals of the second half. Edgewood also never trailed in the first half, leading by as many as 13 and finishing the half with a three-pointer by McClain Steffens just before the buzzer for a 38-28 halftime lead.

Lakeland shot 54.8% in the second half, though, making 17 of 31 shots, including 6-for-9 from three-point range. The Muskies also converted 11 of 13 from the free throw line in the second half and 13 of 15 for the game, while Edgewood made just 11 of 20 from the charity stripe.

McDonald scored 23 points and added seven assists, while Hasenstein scored 15, Garrett Duffin (Jr.-Princeton, Ill.) scored 13 off the bench and Joshuan McNeal (Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) added 10 points.

The Muskies venture back out on the road Saturday when they travel to face Benedictine University at 2 p.m. in Lisle, Ill.