The Lakeland University men's basketball team took advantage of its final home game of the regular season and now will get a home game in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament after defeating Marian University 85-78 Wednesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies wrapped up their NACC tourney spot and the fourth seed in the conference tourney and will be home for a quarterfinal game next week. Lakeland will host an opponent to be determined among either Marian or Concordia University Wisconsin next Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Lakeland (15-9 overall, 12-8 NACC) had its way with the Sabres offensively, shooting 50% from the field in both halves. The Muskies also again heated up quickly from three-point range in seizing momentum in the first half and never surrendering the lead again once they got it.

Trailing 9-4 early after missing its first four three-point attempts, Lakeland outscored Marian 21-4 over the next seven minutes. Included in that hot streak were five made three-pointers in six tries, and the Muskies made eight of their final 14 shots from long distance in taking a 42-34 lead into halftime.

The Sabres (11-13 overall, 10-9 NACC) couldn't make a run in the first half and never did in the second half either, even as Kelvin Jones scored a game-high 25 points.

Marian briefly drew within four points on two occasions in the middle of the second, but two more quick three-pointers by Zach Hasenstein (Fr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) the second time made it 67-57 with 8 minutes, 49 seconds left, and the guests never got closer than eight points again until a three-pointer by Trentin Fouse at the final buzzer. Despite his scoring total, Jones did not score in the game's final 10:52.

Pat McDonald (Jr.-Port Washington, Wis.) scored 20 points to lead the Muskies. Shakur Jinad (So.-Chicago, Ill.) also scored 17 and added nine rebounds and Hasenstein and Joshuan McNeal (Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) both added 13 points each. In addition to making 34 of 68 shots from the field, Lakeland also was 11-for-27 from three-point range (40.7%).

Marian shot 40.5% from the field, making 30 of 74 shots. Besides Jones, Alex Manhardt was the only Sabre player in double figures with 12 points plus nine rebounds.

The game was the final regular season home game for two seniors-McNeal and Reggie Nimmer (Kewaunee, Wis.). Both are four-year members of the team.

Lakeland wraps up its regular season on Saturday when it travels to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to face Finlandia (Mich.) University at noon Central time in Hancock, Mich.