Shakur Jinad (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) scored 26 points, Garrett Duffin (Sr.-Princeton, Ill.) added a career-high 22 and the Lakeland University men's basketball team rode a smoking hot start to the game to an 88-81 win over Lawrence University Thursday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies built a 29-point lead in just over 12 1/2 minutes in the first half and withstood several challenges from the Vikings the rest of the way. Lakeland won its season opener for the second straight year and defeated Lawrence for the first time since 2001.

Jinad made 10 of 13 shots from the field, including 7 of 8 in the first half when he scored 18 points. Duffin also added 17 points in the first half, when the Muskies seemingly could not miss in the fisrt 13 minutes.

The Muskies made eight of their first nine shots, with Duffin's three-point play supplying a 22-4 lead just over six minutes in. The run continued, and Lakeland hit 14 of 17 to open the game, including 8 of its first 10 from three-point range, and was shooting 75% when Jinad converted a three-point play to make it 41-12 with 7 minutes, 26 seconds left in the first half.

The visiting Vikings (1-2 overall) refused to fold, though, and made a huge run of their own to slice into the lead. Lawrence outscored Lakeland 20-2 over the next four minutes to close within 43-32, and the Vikings trailed 49-39 at halftime.

Even as the Muskies' shooting cooled off, Lawrence was unable to get much closer in the second half until the final two minutes. The Vikings did score seven straight to get within 68-61 midway through the half, and got back within six on an offensive rebound and putback by Julian DeGuzman to make it 84-78 with 1:42 to play.

Duffin split two free throws with 48 seconds left to push the lead up to seven before Brad Sendell hit a three-pointer to close Lawrence within four with 28 seconds remaining. The guests would get no closer as freshman Don Joachim (Joliet, Ill.) came up with a steal and also converted three of four free throws.

The Muskies finished the game shooting 52.5% (31 of 59), including 10 of 25 from three-point range (40.0%). Carlos Campos (Jr.-Janesville, Wis.) also added 12 points and Eric Nygaard (Sr.-Plymouth, Wis.) added 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Brad Sendell scored 20 points and added nine rebounds plus five assists to lead Lawrence, which shot 41.2% (28 of 68) but converted 20 of 23 from the foul line (87.0%) and also won the rebounding battle 41-31.

Lakeland will attempt to move to 2-0 when it faces Martin Luther (Minn.) College on Monday at 7 p.m. in New Ulm, Minn.