LISLE, Ill. – Benedictine University got off to a blazing hot start and never cooled off in rolling past the Lakeland University men's basketball team 97-65 Saturday afternoon at the Rice Center in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game.
It was a day to forget for the Muskies, who fell behind 10-0 out of the gate, trailed by as many as 26 in the first half and were unable to make a run in the second half like they did earlier in the week in wiping out an 18-point deficit to defeat Edgewood College. Benedictine avenged a loss to Lakeland 17 days earlier and moved back into first place in the NACC while dropping the Muskies to 11-7 overall and 8-6 in conference play.
The Eagles (11-7 overall, 10-3 NACC) hit their first four shots, including a pair of three-pointers, in taking a 10-0 lead just 2 minutes, 15 seconds into the game. Lakeland was able to maintain contact for a time and trailed 25-19 after
Garrett Duffin (
Jr.-Princeton, Ill.) hit a three-pointer making it 25-19 with 9:36 left in the first half.
Benedictine blew the game open, though, with a 21-2 run over the next 5:45, going ahead 46-21 on an Eric Grygo layup with 3:51 left in the half. The Eagles rode into halftime with a 52-33 lead, shooting 65.5% (19 of 29) in the first 20 minutes, including making seven three-pointers.
The Muskies briefly got within 15 points early in the second half after
Pat McDonald (
Jr.-Port Washington, Wis.) split one of two free throws, but Benedictine soon stretched it out again with another 13-1 run. A dunk by Kenny Bogus made it 68-41 with 14:37 left, and Lakeland never got closer than 24 points again.
The Muskies shot just 34.4% as a team, making 21 of 61 field goals, including 7 of 26 from three-point range (26.9%).
Joshuan McNeal (
Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) led the way with 14 points and a team-high five rebounds plus two blocked shots, Campos scored 12 and McDonald added 10.
Benedictine finished making 35 of 60 from the field, including 11 of 20 from three-point range. The Eagles also outrebounded Lakeland 39-32. Brayden Olson scored 24 points, hitting 8 of 13 from the field including 4 of 5 from long range, and also added seven assists.
The Muskies are back home Tuesday when they host Dominican University at 7 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
