PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Kerstin Sauerbrei (Jr.-Ripon, Wis.) drained a career-high seven three-pointers on her way to 23 points, Kacey Gardner (Sr.-Evergreen Park, Ill.) set a new career high with 10 assists and the Lakeland University women's basketball team soundly defeated Marian University 76-51 Wednesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies darted out to a big lead in the opening minutes and kept the pressure on the whole way, making a season-high 13 three-pointers. Lakeland won the first of two meetings between the teams over the next two weeks and moved back to .500 on the season at 9-9 overall and 7-4 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

The Muskies set the tone in the game's opening minutes, making their first four shots of the game, including two threes by Sauerbrei to jump to a 10-2 lead just over two minutes in. Sauerbrei made two more threes in the first quarter, with the last one giving the Muskies a 20-4 lead just 6:46 in.

The Sabres (5-13 overall, 4-7 NACC) would battle back to within 22-15 by the end of the quarter and would hang within striking distance into the middle of the third period, but never made a significant run. Lakeland led 42-31 at halftime with Sauerbrei's 12 points, Jenna Caterino (So.-Stanton, Mich.) hitting two more threes and Alexa Yost (Jr.-Menasha, Wis.) adding six points on her way to a season-high 12.

Marian was within 44-36 when Lakeland broke the game open with a 12-0 run midway through the third quarter. Mackenzie Miller (Fr.-Schoolcraft, Mich.) scored four points, Brianna Jones (Sr.-Indianapolis, Ind.) hit a jumper and Sauerbrei and Yost made three-pointers the latter putting the Muskies up 56-36 with 3:13 left in the period.

Lakeland would carry a 60-41 lead into the final quarter and salted it away with two more threes by Sauerbrei, a three-pointer by A.T. Bartlett (Fr.-Farmington Hills, Mich.) and senior Katie Bleck (Weyauwega, Wis.) adding the final points. The Muskies also forced 12 turnovers in the second half, holding the Sabres to 20 points in the final 20 points.

Lakeland finished shooting 41.2% (28 of 68) but made 44.8% from three-point range, hitting 13 of 29 tries from long range. The Muskies also committed just seven turnovers, including three through the first three quarters, and would score 21 points off 19 Sabres turnovers.

Sauerbrei is the first Muskie to hit seven three-pointers in a game since Janai' Farr against MSOE Feb. 5, 2020, and is the most by a Lakeland player since Peggy Keiper hit eight threes Dec. 5, 2007 also against MSOE. Her 23 points were one off her career high set last season against Concordia Chicago in the first round of the NACC Tournament.

Gardner scored three points but added 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals, and bested her previous career high of eight assists. Yost scored 12 hitting 5 of 7 shots including two three-pointers and Miller and Ellie Felsinger (Sr.-Cedar Grove, Wis.) added 10 points each.

Chelsea King scored 10 points to lead Marian, which shot 36.5% (19 of 52). Kiara Williams added eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

Lakeland is home again Saturday when it hosts Illinois Institute of Technology at 4:15 p.m.

Gardner's Record: Lakeland honored Kacey Gardner before the game, presenting her with a basketball signed by the team in honor of her school record for assists set last week against MSOE. The team posed for a picture (below) with Gardner, who with 22 assists over her last three games has now extended her record to 361 career assists.