The series between Lakeland and Lawrence has roots back to the 1970s and both schools' early seasons playing women's basketball. The teams have split 32 prior meetings, though the Muskies have won the last four matchups. The teams played in 2017 and 2018, with Lakeland posting a 66-53 win at home at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium Nov. 28, 2017 and again the next year in Appleton by a 66-46 score Nov. 15, 2018. The teams also met in 2008 and 2009, both Muskies wins at home, and Lawrence's last win over Lakeland was a 58-55 win at home back on Jan. 7, 1993.

Lakeland last time out: Lost to UW-Stevens Point 57-50 Tuesday
The Muskies were in it the whole way against the Pointers and held a three-point lead late in the third quarter, but UWSP went on a 12-1 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to gain the upper hand and held on down the stretch. Stevens Point turned a 36-33 deficit into a 44-37 lead early in the fourth quarter, though Lakeland rallied to get back within two points before getting no closer. Morgan Zenon scored 10 points and added five rebounds and four blocked shots and Kacey Gardner added nine points, seven rebounds and five assists. The Muskies outshot the Pointers 36.1% to 30.7% but committed 18 turnovers, including 15 in the second half.

Lawrence last time out: Lost at Carroll 77-45 Nov. 18
The Vikings are playing for the first time in nine days, having been idle since falling on the road in Waukesha last week Thursday. Lawrence got off to a slow start, falling behind 19-4 after one quarter, and the Pioneers built a 38-16 lead by halftime and dominated throughout, shooting 48.4% for the game. The Vikings were ice cold from the field shooting 28.8%, committed 32 turnovers and were outscored 50-14 in the paint, with Kenya Earl providing the bright spot with 18 points.

About the Vikings: Lawrence sat out the entire 2020-21 season during the COVID-19 pandemic but has shown signs of improvement off of its last season, with a 2-2 record early this year that includes routs of Lakeland's Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference rivals Marian (84-38) and Rockford (77-57). In their most recent season, the Vikings finished 6-19 in 2019-20 and posted a 3-15 record in the Midwest Conference. Head coach Riley Woldt is in his fourth year at the school and is looking to turn around a program that has won no more than seven games since posting a 13-11 record for its last winning season in 2006-07.

Earl is the lone starter still on the team from that season and heads a roster with six freshmen and eight underclassmen total and just three seniors. She also is the daughter of Acie Earl, a former Iowa Hawkeyes standout who also played four years in the NBA.

Gardner moving up steals list: Lakeland's Kacey Gardner is closing in on the top 10 all-time in program history in steals. The senior has eight steals this season and 156 steals for her career, putting her four short of tying Steph Sprenger (1993-96) and her total of 160 career thefts for 10th on the all-time list. Gardner also has a chance this season to enter the top 10 for the Muskies in career assists. She comes into Saturday with 223 career assists, 15th in program history and 44 shy of 10th-place Aimee Thrune, who totaled 267 assists from 2010-14.