PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University women's basketball team bounced back from a one-sided defeat 24 hours earlier, breezing past Illinois Institute of Technology 79-45 Sunday at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies received 40 points from their bench and 14 different players scored as they snapped a three-game losing streak, winning in the makeup of a game postponed Jan. 8. Lakeland also crawled back over the .500 mark on the season to 8-7 overall and is now 4-4 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

The Muskies trailed for just 13 seconds in the game and gradually built their lead in the first 20 minutes. Kirsten Sauerbrei (So.-Ripon, Wis.) scored nine points and hit three of her game-high five three-pointers and Ellie Felsinger (Jr.-Cedar Grove, Wis.) added seven points and six rebounds in the first half alone as Lakeland led 17-8 after one quarter and then pushed the lead to as much as 24 in the second period. The Muskies ended the half with a flourish when Lauren Downs (Jr.-West Bend, Wis.) hit a three-pointer in the final seconds for a 40-17 halftime advantage.

Lakeland then closed the third quarter on a 13-2 run capped by a layup by Nicole Sachman (Jr.-Niles, Mich.) just before the buzzer for a 61-28 lead after three periods. The fourth quarter provided plenty of opportunity for Muskies reserves and Alicia Thone (Sr.-Neenah, Wis.), Chanel Bradford (Sr.-Lincoln Park, Mich.) and Chassity Bradford (Sr.-Lincoln Park, Mich.) all hit three-pointers to put the final touch on the victory.

Lakeland finished shooting 43.5% (30 of 69), including 50.0% (16 of 32) in the second half. The Muskies also made 12 of 30 from three-point range (40.0%), one off their season high for triples made against Northwestern (Minn.) Dec. 18.

Sauerbrei finished with 15 points and added five rebounds and Felsinger added nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Downs, Hayley Walding (Sr.-Bradenton, Fla.) and Kacey Gardner (Sr.-Evergreen Park, Ill.) also all added eight points each, Chanel Bradford scored a career-high five points off the bench and Lakeland finished with a 40-3 advantage in bench points. The Muskies also posted a 42-37 rebounding advantage including 16 offensive rebounds, and also committed a season-low eight turnovers.

Julia Bucci finished with 21 points and seven rebounds to lead Illinois Tech, which shot 27.8% (15 of 54). Deriniece Moton added 11 points.

The Muskies are on the road Tuesday when they take on Marian University at 7 p.m. in Fond du Lac.