PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Christian Knox (Sr.-Ypsilanti, Mich.) erupted for a career-high 30 points and the Lakeland University men's basketball team rebounded from a couple tough outings to earn a 103-95 win over Aurora University Saturday afternoon in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play.

A return to the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium also brought the Muskies' long-range shooting back to life and earned a season split with the Spartans. Lakeland evened the score after an overtime loss at Aurora in December and improved to 9-5 overall and 4-4 in the NACC.

The Muskies made 15 of 27 from three-point range (55.6%), including Knox hitting 8 of 9 from deep and 10 of 14 shots overall. He scored 14 points in the first half hitting all four three-point tries and then added 16 in the second half as Lakeland pulled away from the Spartans (10-6 overall, 5-4 NACC).

The Muskies led 50-45 at halftime but Aurora scored the first six points of the first half to take the lead back just over two minutes into the second half. The teams swapped the lead 11 times and were tied on four occasions in the first 23 minutes, but Lakeland would go ahead for good when Cam Jaeger (So.-Oostburg, Wis.) hit a triple for a 56-53 lead with 17:01 to play.

The Muskies would soon outscore Aurora 11-2 over a three-minute stretch and push the lead to 10 at 67-57 following an Aiden Polzin (So.-Clintonville, Wis.) three. The Spartans would close back within four at 68-64 on a layup by Justin Wilson with 10:28 to play, but Lakeland would stretch the lead back out as Knox hit four three-pointers in a span of just over four minutes.  His last gave the Muskies an 88-74 advantage with 5:55 left, and a late Aurora charge could get no closer than six in the final minute.

Knox's eight treys was two shy of the school single-game record of 10 set by Kris Saiberlich Jan. 19, 2008 against Wisconsin Lutheran. Jaeger also scored 25 points, hitting 7 of 17 shots including 5 of 9 from three-point range plus 6 of 6 from the foul line.

Free throws proved to be a big difference, as the Muskies hit 26 of 32 from the stripe (81.3%). Aurora finished making just 18 of 33, and needed a significant rally late to finish at 54.5% from the line after making just 2 of its first 15 free throws.

Polzin also added 14 points and Asanjai Hunter (Fr.-Racine, Wis.) added 13 points. The Spartans actually finished with a higher overall shooting percentage, hitting 36 of 64 shots (56.3%) to Lakeland's 31 of 63 (49.2%), but the Muskies singed Aurora from long range for the second time this season after hitting 16 of 34 in the teams' first meeting.

Joevonn McCottry paced the Spartans with 22 points and Wilson added 20 points. Aurora also won the rebounding battle 36-31 but committed 18 turnovers.

Lakeland is back home Tuesday when it hosts Marian University at 7 p.m. in the Woltzen Gym.