PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Rockford University went on a 30-7 run as a close game got away from the Lakeland University men's basketball team late in an 87-73 loss Saturday afternoon at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies ran out of gas down the stretch and slipped further behind the main pack in the race for position for the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament. Lakeland is now 9-11 overall, 5-8 in conference, and 1 1/2 games behind Rockford and Illinois Institute of Technology for eighth in the standings. The top three teams in the standings get a bye in the first round of the tourney, while teams finishing fourth through eighth will earn a home game in the first round.

The Muskies spent much of the game playing from behind from the time the Regents (12-7 overall, 6-6 NACC) scored nine straight points to take a 20-10 lead near the midpoint of the first half. Still, Lakeland hung around, took the lead briefly twice in the second half, and appeared in excellent position as the game entered the latter stages.

The Muskies led 58-56 after Cam Jaeger (So.-Oostburg, Wis.) drained a three-pointer with 10 minutes, 15 seconds left in the game. Lakeland was shooting 58.8% in the second half to that point (10 of 17), heating up nicely after a slow start to the game offensively.

Rockford responded with six straight points before Jequan Pegeese (Sr.-Beloit, Wis.) scored in the paint to draw the Muskies back within 62-60 with 8:27 left. The Regents would step on the gas, though, scoring 12 straight points capped by a layup by Sincere Galbreath for a 74-60 lead with 5:39 left.

Lakeland would get no closer than 11 the rest of the way, and Rockford put the game out of reach with another 12-2 spurt late. Brandon Emerick's fast break layup with 2:01 left gave the guests their largest lead at 86-65, with the Muskies scoring eight of the game's final nine points to make the final score more respectable including five points by Phillip Curtis IV (Sr.-Detroit, Mich.) off the bench.

Rockford finished shooting 55.6% (20 of 36) in the second half and 47.1% (32 of 68) for the game. The Regents substituted in waves and had just two players score in double figures, but D.J. Bonds finished with 22 points including 15 in the second half. Vincent Eugene added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists off the bench, and Rockford finished with a huge 61-19 advantage in bench points in the game.

The Muskies finished shooting 44.4% (28 of 63) and 8 of 29 from three-point range (27.6%), including just 3 of 14 in the second half. Aiden Polzin (So.-Clintonville, Wis.) scored 19 points, Jaeger chipped in 14 and Pegeese added 12, but Lakeland was outrebounded 52-32 and also made just 9 of 20 at the free throw line (45.0%).

The Muskies have three regular season games left, two of them at home, and next will host Concordia University Chicago on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Woltzen Gymnasium.