RIVER FOREST, Ill. – Lakeland University dominated the second half, turning a close game at halftime into a rout in a 76-41 win over Dominican University in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference women's basketball matchup Saturday at the Igini Sports Forum.

The Muskies outscored the Stars 46-17 over the final 20 minutes, including a 26-8 advantage in the third quarter that turned a six-point halftime lead into a 24-point bulge after three quarters. Lakeland evened its record on the season at 4-4 overall and is 1-1 in NACC play.

A contest that was tied with less than three minutes remaining in the first half took a drastic turn after halftime. The Muskies dominated in every way, shooting 51.6% (16 of 31) after halftime, holding Dominican to 21.4% shooting (6 of 28), and also posting a whopping 30-10 rebounding advantage.

Lakeland led 35-29 with 5 minutes, 58 seconds left in the third quarter when it went on a 27-3 run over the 9 1/2 minutes. Lauren Downs (Jr.-West Bend, Wis.) hit a trio of three-pointers as part of a string of six consecutive made field goals in the run while the Stars missed nine of 10 shots and committed five turnovers.

The Muskies led 56-32 after three quarters and would continue to pull away in the fourth, leading by as many as 37 points at 76-39 when freshman Lexi Schultz (Shelby, Mich.) scored on a layup to finish a personal string of six straight points.

The teams were tied at 11-11 after one quarter and Dominican (1-6 overall, 0-2 NACC) built a five-point lead early in the second quarter and led for much of the period until Lakeland took a 21-20 lead on two free throws by Alexa Yost (So.-Menasha, Wis.) with 3:47 left before halftime. The teams were still tied at 24-24 before the Muskies scored the final six points before halftime, including a layup by Kacey Gardner (Sr.-Evergreen Park, Ill.) for a 30-24 lead going into the break.

Kerstin Sauerbrei (So.-Ripon, Wis.) scored a game-high 17 points, including hitting 5 of 12 three-point tries. Gardner and Downs both added 12 points and Gardner also chipped in nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. Yost also added ten points.

Ellie Felsinger (Jr.-Cedar Grove, Wis.) pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds and Brianna Jones (Jr.-Indianapolis, Ind.) added 11 rebounds. The Muskies finished with a 54-28 rebounding advantage including 17 offensive rebounds.

Dominican finished shooting 27.0%, making 17 of 63 shots, including just 3 of 26 from three-point range (11.5%). Stephenee Huggans led the Stars with 11 points.

Lakeland is back home Tuesday when it hosts Alverno College at 7 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.