PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University men's basketball team is 3-0 for the first time in eight years after cruising past Martin Luther (Minn.) College 104-75 Tuesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
The Muskies topped the 100-point mark for the second straight game, shooting well over 50% for most of the night. Lakeland is off to its best start since 2014-15, when it opened the season with five straight victories.
The Muskies took advantage of the zone defense played by the Knights (0-6 overall), making 18 of 42 three-point tries (42.9%).
Cam Jaeger (
So.-Oostburg, Wis.) scored 28 points and
Aiden Polzin (
So.-Clintonville, Wis.) added 18, and the two combined for 11 triples.
Lakeland led 57-36 at halftime, building a double-digit lead less than seven minutes into the game and eventually leading by as many as 24 in the opening half while making 11 threes in the first 20 minutes alone.
The pace remained fast in the second half, with Martin Luther getting as close as 18 points on three occasions, the last time on a layup by Bryce Marohn making it 75-57 with 12:52 left. The Muskies would soon blow the game wide open, though, with a 25-7 run ending on a three by
Travis Kohlmann (
So.-Kiel, Wis.) giving Lakeland a 100-62 lead with 5:32 remaining.
Jaeger made 9 of 16 shots, including 6 of 9 from three-point range.
Kai Buliox (
So.-Milwaukee, Wis.) also scored 16 points and added eight rebounds,
Christian Knox (
Sr.-Ypsilanti, Mich.) scored 10 points and
Isaiah Hammond (
So.-Milwaukee, Wis.) added seven points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Lakeland finished shooting 46.8% (36 of 77), with the shooting percentage coming down only after missing 10 of its final 11 shots. The Muskies also outrebounded the Knights 47-40 and committed just five turnovers.
Seth Veers led Martin Luther with 18 points. The visitors from New Ulm, Minn., shot 41.2% (28 of 68), including 6 of 22 from three-point range.
Lakeland returns to play after Thanksgiving, traveling to take on Lawrence University on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Appleton.
