University of Northwestern (Minn.) Eagles (6-3 overall)
at Lakeland University Muskies (6-4 overall)
Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021Â Â 3:15 p.m.
Woltzen Gymnasium
Lakeland/UNW Game Notes  PDF
Lakeland University aims for its first win over the University of Northwestern (Minn.) in 60 years when it hosts the Eagles for a non-conference men's basketball matchup Saturday at 3:15 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
Broadcast Information:
Live video & live statistics:Â
http://www.lakelandmuskies.com/muskieslive. Andy Damp is again calling the play-by-play for all Lakeland home basketball games this year.
Series history:Â 12th meeting, Northwestern leads 7-4
The Muskies and Eagles went nearly 60 years between meetings before playing earlier this calendar year in the 2020-21 season. Northwestern drilled Lakeland 90-62 on Jan. 20 in St. Paul, Minn., shooting 54.5% while holding the Muskies to 32.5% from the field. Before that, the schools last meeting came Feb. 10, 1962, when Lakeland won by a lopsided score of 145-68 in the teams' final meeting as members of the old Badger-Gopher Conference. The Muskies claimed the last two contests as conference mates, while the Eagles' last win in the series before this year was a 101-72 victory Feb. 11, 1961. Northwestern, based in Saint Paul, Minn., shouldn't be confused with the former Northwestern College of Watertown, Wis., that the Muskies regularly competed against for many years until that college merged into Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., in 1995.
Lakeland last time out: Defeated Lawrence 78-74 last night
The Muskies used a 19-5 run in the second half to turn the tables, swapping a seven-point deficit for a seven-point lead midway through the second half. Lakeland then held on in the final minute after the Vikings closed within a point on two occasions.
Aiden Polzin scored 20 points and
Kai Buliox added 18 points as the Muskies won despite being outshot (46.2% to 43.8%) and outrebounded 45-31. Lakeland committed just five turnovers, eight less than Lawrence, which turned the ball over twice in the final minute. The Muskies' win was their second straight and improved them to 4-2 in non-conference games this season.
Northwestern last time out: Won at Minnesota-Morris 83-75 last Saturday
The Eagles received a battle from the Cougars but finished the game on a 9-2 run to finally shake them and win the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference game. Caleb Hoilien hit a big three-pointer with 1:15 left to put Northwestern up six and Owen Boerema added an offensive rebound and putback and two free throws to salt the game away. Boerema and Noah Alm both scored 19 points with Boerema also adding nine rebounds, and Hoilien added 18 points and seven rebounds off the bench as the Eagles won their fourth straight game and second in two days.
About the Eagles: Northwestern is 6-3 overall and 2-0 in the UMAC, having also defeated Crown (Minn.) 87-78 on the road last Friday. The Eagles' three losses includes falling to UW-River Falls and UW-Eau Claire in close games plus a loss at Lakeland's Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference rival Wisconsin Lutheran in the season opener. Northwestern also shares another common opponent with the Muskies, having won at MSOE one night after the narrow loss at Wisconsin Lutheran, and the Eagles' win over Crown also contrasts with the Muskies' 85-81 loss to Crown in their season opener.
Northwestern is coached by Tim Grosz, in his 22nd year leading the program, and he has led the Eagles to considerable success including eight NCAA Division III Tournament berths from 2011-19 plus a National Christian College Athletic Association national title last season, when Northwestern went 17-3, won the UMAC Tournament championship and completed a four-game run to win the NCCAA championship. The Eagles won their first three games by a combined six points and then defeated Ottawa (Ariz.) 82-75 in the championship game for their second NCCAA title.
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