The Muskies and Spartans renew their series after an absence in the 2020-21 season this past spring, when the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference divided teams up into North and South divisions for their abbreviated seasons. The teams split their last two meetings both in February of 2020, including Lakeland winning the most recent game with a 93-86 double-overtime win in Illinois Feb. 11 of that year when Hayley Walding scored a career-high 27 points. Aurora won the game at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium ten days earlier, rallying from 15 points down entering the final quarter for a 69-63 victory after outscoring the Muskies 29-8 in the fourth quarter. The series between the schools dates back to Dec. 3, 1982, when the Spartans won the first matchup 64-62 here at the Wehr Center Fieldhouse.

Lakeland last time out: Defeated Alverno 61-34 Tuesday
The Muskies had little trouble putting together consecutive wins for the first time this season, holding the Inferno to 16 points over the first three quarters on the way to an easy win. Lakeland outscored Alverno 31-8 over the second and third quarters and led by as many as 34 points in the fourth quarter. Ellie Felsinger scored a career-best 14 points and added seven rebounds, Alexa Yost added 13 points and Brianna Jones finished with 10 rebounds. The Muskies snapped a string of alternating wins and losses through their first eight games to get over the .500 mark for the first time this season.

Aurora last time out: Won at Dominican 100-57 Tuesday
The Spartans jumped all over the Stars early, scoring 66 points in the first half on the way to reaching the 100-point mark for the second time in five games. Aurora scored 36 points in the first quarter alone and led 66-25 at halftime before cruising in the second half. Victoria Perry scored 16 points and Julie Galauner added 14 to lead five Spartans scoring in double figures, and 15 different players scored for Aurora as it shot 46.2%, held Dominican to 25.6% marksmanship and also outrebounded the hosts 59-32.

About the Spartans: Aurora has played a light schedule early in the season with just five games so far, including a two-week break between games Nov. 16 and Nov. 30. The Spartans' three wins have come in a rout, but they also lost to Greenville (Ill.) and in conference at home to St. Norbert last Saturday 73-63, faling behind 23-11 after one period and never catching back up.

Aurora is led by Ryan Rebsom, who is in his fourth year coaching the program and formerly was the head men's basketball coach at Rockford for ten years. The Spartans finished 6-2 in the 2020-21 spring season and posted a 5-1 mark in the NACC North Division before falling to Benedictine in the divisional tournament final.