MEQUON, Wis. – The Lakeland University women's basketball team opened a new year playing the part of road warriors, taking down rival Concordia University Wisconsin in convincing fashion with a 58-42 win Wednesday night at the R. John Buuck Fieldhouse.

The Muskies shook off the rust from the holidays and a 16-day break between games to control play almost the entire way in a big Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference win. Lakeland improved to 5-7 overall and is now 3-2 in the NACC, and also handed the Falcons (5-6 overall, 4-2 NACC) their second conference loss.

The Muskies also continued a run of success at Concordia that has become a trend. Due to schedule disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic Lakeland was playing at CUW for the first time since Dec. 2019, but now has won four of its last five at the Buuck Fieldhouse, dating back to a win over the Falcons in the 2017 NACC Tournament final that sent the Muskies to the 2017 NCAA Division III Tournament.

Lakeland led for all but 95 seconds of Wednesday's game, taking the lead for good just over two minutes in and leading by a double-digit margin almost all of the final 26 minutes.

The Muskies led 17-11 after one quarter, going to work inside with all 17 points coming in the paint or at the free throw line. Lakeland then outscored Concordia 12-2 over the first five minutes of the second quarter, making five consecutive shots, again with all five coming in the paint. A layup by Ellie Felsinger (Sr.-Cedar Grove, Wis.) gave the Muskies a 29-13 lead with 5 minutes, 18 seconds left in the first half, and Lakeland held a 33-20 halftime lead after Kacey Gardner (Sr.-Evergreen Park, Ill.) pulled up and hit a 17-foot jumper to beat the buzzer.

The Muskies maintained the double-digit lead for almost all of the third quarter, with Concordia getting within nine at 33-24 early in the period before Lakeland pushed the lead back to 14. Alexa Yost (Jr.-Menasha, Wis.) converted a three-point play with two seconds left in the quarter for a 46-32 lead, and the Muskies rolled the rest of the way, extending the lead to 20 points in the fourth. Two free throws by Brianna Jones (Sr.-Indianapolis, Ind.) made it 56-36 with 4:24 left, and Lakeland had the satisfaction of seeing both teams take their starters out and go deep into their benches soon after.

Felsinger scored 13 points, making 3 of 8 from the field but also 7 of 8 free throws. Mackenzie Miller (Fr.-Schoolcraft, Mich.) also scored 12 points off the bench and added nine rebounds including four offensive boards. The freshman also finished with a season-high four steals.

Jones also finished with a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, including five offensive rebounds, and Gardner added 10 points, eight rebounds and four steals.

Lakeland shot 34.4% (21 of 61) but out-rebounded the Falcons 46-39. The Muskies also held CUW to 32.2% (19 of 59) shooting, and finished with a big advantage at the free throw line. Lakeland made 15 of 20 foul shots (75.0%), while Concordia hit just 3 of 11 at the charity stripe.

Lakeland plays next on Saturday when it travels to face Illinois Institute of Technology at 5:15 p.m. in Chicago.