Aurora University Spartans (12-2 overall, 6-1 NACC)
at Lakeland University Muskies (7-7 overall, 5-2 NACC)
Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023Â Â 4:15 p.m.
Woltzen Gymnasium
Alumni Day
Lakeland/Aurora WBB Game Notes  PDF
A pair of teams on hot streaks meet Saturday when the Lakeland University women's basketball team welcomes Aurora University for a 4:15 p.m. tip at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
A busy day for Muskies basketball also includes Alumni Day for the women's program, with an alumni game to begin at 11:15 a.m. in the Woltzen Gym, before the Lakeland and Aurora men's teams meet at 2 p.m. to begin the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader.
Broadcast Information:
Live video & live statistics:Â
http://www.lakelandmuskies.com/muskieslive. Andy Damp is again calling the play-by-play for all Lakeland home basketball games this year.
Series history:Â 31st meeting, Lakeland leads 17-13
The Muskies and Spartans are meeting for the second time this season, with Aurora winning the first meeting 71-61 down in Illinois Dec. 10. The teams also split a pair of meetings last year, with both winning on their own home courts. Lakeland earned a 60-57 win at home Dec. 11, 2021 behind
Ellie Felsinger's 13 points and 10 rebounds, but the Spartans shot a steamy 60.6% in a 112-67 blowout win at home Feb. 11, 2022. The series between the schools dates back to Dec. 3, 1982, when the Spartans won the first matchup 64-62 at the Muskies' Wehr Center Fieldhouse.
Lakeland last time out: Defeated Concordia Chicago 59-54 Wednesday
The Muskies made key plays on offense and defense in the final quarter to pick up a hard-earned win, extending their winning streak to four games. The teams were close throughout with eight ties, eight lead changes and neither team ahead by more than six points at any point. Tied at 42-42 going into the final period, though, Lakeland scored the first four points and led the rest of the way, even after the Cougars closed within a possession on five different occasions. The Muskies received a combined 22 points and 19 rebounds from their post players,
Mackenzie Miller (13 points, 9 rebs) and
Ellie Felsinger (9 points, 10 rebs).
Brianna Jones also scored nine and
Sydney Walker added five points and keyed a strong defensive effort in the final quarter.
Aurora last time out: Won at Rockford 64-44 Wednesday
The Spartans also continued a winning streak, taking their seventh game in a row. Aurora blasted out to a 29-6 lead after one quarter and was never in danger after, with the Regents getting no closer than 15 points late. Talia Bee scored 15 points off the bench and the Spartans cruised despite shooting 30.8%, in part due to limiting the Regents to 22.8% shooting. Aurora is now 6-1 in conference and has not lost since an 85-57 loss at Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference leader St. Norbert Dec. 3.
Recapping the first meeting: The Muskies appeared to be in good shape most of the way at Aurora, building a 10-point lead in the second quarter and still holding the lead late in the third quarter. The Spartans closed the third on a 13-2 run, though, and then pulled away in the fourth with another 11-0 run.
Kacey Gardner and
Lauren Downs scored 11 points each to lead Lakeland, which shot just 29.4% in the second half. Elliot Dojutrek led Aurora with 13 points and five assists and Selena Vargas added a game-high 14 rebounds.
Record on the horizon: Kacey Gardner piled up six assists Wednesday against Concordia Chicago, her second-highest mark of the season behind seven assists at Lawrence Nov. 26, and the fifth-year senior is now on the doorstep of the school's all-time career assists mark. Gardner enters Saturday with 337 career assists, three shy of tying assistant coach and 2013-17 Muskie
Kayla Clark for the top spot with 340 assists.
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