PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Rockford University scored the final nine points of the game to complete a comeback from a double-digit deficit and the Lakeland University women's basketball team took a heartbreaking 60-54 loss Saturday afternoon at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
The Muskies trailed for just 16 seconds in the game until Rockford's Anaya Davis made one of two free throws to break a 54-all tie with 1:18 left, and Lakeland never scored again in falling to 10-10 overall and 6-7 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. The Regents leaped over Lakeland in the conference standings, improving to 11-9 overall and 7-7 in conference.
The Muskies started out hot, building a 12-point lead in the first quarter, and opened back up a 10-point margin in the third quarter after the Regents had rallied back into the game. Lakeland also answered another Rockford run in the fourth quarter to lead by seven with less than six minutes to play, but the Muskies made just one field goal the rest of the way as the guests closed the game on a 17-4 run.
Rockford hung around all game and was carried much of the way by freshman Davis, the NCAA Division III leader in double-doubles who piled up 32 points and 18 rebounds. She scored eight straight points late for the Regents, and her three-point play with 2:55 left cut the Muskies' lead to 53-51.
Davis's teammates played big roles down the stretch, including Audrina Terhune making two free throws to tie the score at 54-54. Terhune also pulled down a rebound after
Kerstin Sauerbrei (
So.-Ripon, Wis.) missed a three-pointer with 55 seconds left, and she made one of two at the line to push the lead to 56-54.
The Muskies still had a chance to tie or take the lead, but Rockford's Lemyia Maebane helped over on defense to block a runner by
Kacey Gardner (
Sr.-Evergreen Park, Ill.) with 22 seconds left and Natalie Posadas grabbed the rebound. Posadas, a 45.5% free throw shooter on the season, then sunk both foul shots, and Maebane added two more free throws with 13 seconds left for the final margin.
Lakeland was in control most of the game behind the shooting of Sauerbrei and
Lauren Downs (
Jr.-West Bend, Wis.). The two guards combined for 31 points with Sauerbrei scoring 17 and Downs adding 14, and the two made all seven of Lakeland's three-pointers.
Lakeland also shot 58.3% in the first quarter and took its biggest lead at 17-5 on a three by Downs late in the opening period. The Muskies were still at 58.8% midway through the second quarter after hitting 10 of their first 17 shots, but would go ice cold the rest of the way, finishing the game shooting 30.9% (17 of 55).
Rockford clawed back to tie the score at 26-26 late in the first half as Davis was nearly unstoppable in the opening 20 minutes. She posted 20 points and 11 rebounds in the first half including 13 points and 10 boards in the second quarter alone. Lakeland still finished the half on a high note with Downs making two free throws with nine seconds left in the half to give Lakeland a 28-26 halftime lead.
The Muskies eventually pushed the lead to ten points twice late in the third quarter before the Regents went on a 10-0 run to tie it up at 42-42 with 8:41 left in the game. Lakeland responded again with a quick 8-1 run, with Downs and Sauerbrei both making three-pointers to build the lead back up to 50-43.
Gardner also scored six points and added 11 rebounds plus six assists.
Brianna Jones (
Jr.-Indianapolis, Ind.) also added 11 rebounds.
Davis finished the game making 11 of 22 shots from the field and 10 of 15 from the free throw line. Terhune added nine points and Maebane finished with five points and a career-best six rebounds off the bench in a season-high 19 minutes.
Lakeland has four regular season games remaining before the NACC Tournament and will look to bounce back when it hosts Marian University Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Woltzen Gymnasium.
