ROCKFORD, Ill. – Rockford University's Tony Diemer scored a career-high 40 points in an outstanding individual performance and the Lakeland University men's basketball team's push for the postseason was slowed up for a night with a 93-73 loss Tuesday night at the Seaver Center.

Diemer finished with 40 points and added 13 rebounds and brother Kevin Diemer also added 13 points and 18 rebounds as the determined Regents made amends for an ugly 46-point loss to the Muskies less than a month earlier. Rockford also kept the Muskies from clinching a spot in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament while keeping alive its own hopes.

Lakeland (14-8 overall, 11-7 NACC) can still clinch one of three available spots in the six-team conference tournament with one more win in its final two conference games. The Muskies still came out of the night in fourth place in the NACC, while the Regents at 8-9 in league (10-12 overall) sit one game out of a tie for sixth with three games to play.

Rockford undoubtedly had plenty to prove after falling at Lakeland 109-63 back on Jan. 9, and the Regents shot 50% in this one and also outrebounded the Muskies 55-38. Tony and Kevin Diemer alone combined for 31 rebounds, including 16 offensive rebounds.

Lakeland also was held to 37.6% shooting that included one of the team's worst nights of the season from long range. The Muskies connected on just 5 of 29 three-point tries, their 17.2% shooting behind only a 3-for-19 showing (15.8%)  against MSOE back in November.

The host Regents took the lead for good just over three minutes into the game and pushed the lead to double digits shortly after, eventually leading 44-34 at halftime. Rockford pulled away early in the second half, with a 10-0 run turning an eight-point lead into a 56-38 margin, and led by as many as 21 points as Tony Diemer scored 28 points in the second half with the help of seven offensive boards.

Diemer finished making 16 of 29 shots from the field, while Brandon Emerick added 20 points for Rockford, which shot 37 of 74 for the game.

Shakur Jinad (So.-Chicago, Ill.) and Joshuan McNeal (Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) both scored 19 points to lead Lakeland and also added eight and seven rebounds, respectively. Zach Hasenstein (Fr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) also added five assists.

The Muskies are back on the road Saturday when they travel to face Aurora University at 2 p.m. in Aurora, Ill.