CARLINVILLE, Ill. – Kacey Gardner (Sr.-Evergreen Park, Ill.) had a career night both scoring and on the boards and the Lakeland University women's basketball team pulled away late to defeat Blackburn (Ill.) College 75-59 on the road Thursday night at Dawes Gymnasium.

Gardner set career highs with 20 points and 16 rebounds and helped salt away the game at the free throw line in the fourth quarter. Alexa Yost (So.-Menasha, Wis.) and Brianna Jones (Jr.-Indianapolis, Ind.) also posted career highs and the Muskies won for the second time this season and improved to 2-2 overall.

Lakeland led for most of the night and only trailed for one brief but notable stretch of just over a minute in the game. The Muskies were unable to shake Blackburn (0-6 overall), though, until outscoring the hosts 29-17 over the final quarter.

The Beavers took their only lead of the game just before halftime and took a 27-26 lead into the break. Lakeland would take the lead back early in the third quarter and would soon build a 46-32 lead late in the period after a three-point play by Gardner, only to see Blackburn come back with ten straight points and close back within 46-42 at the end of the quarter.

Lakeland would pull away late in the fourth quarter, and in particular closed the game out at the free throw line, shooting a whopping 30 free throws and making 21 in the fourth quarter. Gardner made 9 of 14 from the line in the fourth herself and finished making 12 of 18 foul shots for the game.

The Muskies defensively shut down Blackburn, holding the Beavers to 23.5% shooting for the game (16 of 68). Lakeland also out-rebounded the hosts 52-42 and received a number of contributions in the win.

Yost scored a career-best 14 points and also added five rebounds, and Jones added eight points plus career highs with 11 rebounds and four assists. Morgan Zenon (Sr.-Twin Lakes, Wis.) also added 12 points and six rebounds off the bench.

The Muskies shot 37.1% for the game, making 23 of 62 shots, including just 2 of 15 from three-point range. Lakeland dominated inside, though, scoring 42 points in the paint and also making a living at the free throw line, hitting 27 of 43 foul shots (62.8%).

Aryanna Harris scored 18 points off the bench to lead Blackburn, which made just 7 of 37 three-point tries (18.9%) and also drained 20 of 30 free throw attempts (66.7%).

Lakeland is back home for its next game when it hosts the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.