MADISON, Wis. – Edgewood College's Drew Houtakker scored on a rebound putback to beat the buzzer at the end of the third overtime and the Lakeland University men's basketball team took a tough 99-97 loss in three extra periods Saturday afternoon at the Todd Wehr Edgedome.

The Eagles tied the game with 3.2 seconds left in regulation, then got a steal, missed shot and the follow in the final seconds to finally end a 55-minute marathon. In just the fourth triple-overtime game in school history, Lakeland saw its three-game winning streak this season snapped, dropping to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

After being locked at 95-95 for more than 2 1/2 minutes, the teams combined for three baskets in the frantic final seconds of the third overtime. That included the Muskies taking their first lead of the overtime with 10.9 seconds left when Asanjai Hunter (So.-Kenosha, Wis.) drove down the lane and scored to put Lakeland ahead 97-95.

Edgewood (2-4 overall, 2-0 NACC) called a timeout and after the break Cade Ellingson drove into the lane, stepped through defenders and threw up a lefthanded scoop shot that grazed the front of the rim, spun over and fell into the hoop with 3.2 seconds left. Ellingson then intercepted an inbounds pass in the corner and quickly put up a rushed 18-footer from the baseline. The shot caught the side of the backboard and dropped almost straight down. The hustling Houtakker caught it off the floor and on the run laid it up on the right side of the glass with his left hand, with replays after the game showing the ball left his fingers almost simultaneously with the clock hitting 0.0. The ball spun on the back of the rim and fell through and was called good to end the game.

The Muskies and Eagles were almost as even as could be for all 55 minutes, with neither team leading by more than eight points all game. The teams combined for 18 lead changes and 11 ties, with six of those ties coming in the final minute of regulation or an overtime period, including tying baskets in the final 33 seconds of regulation and all three overtime periods.

The game only reached a third overtime period because Lakeland's Cam Jaeger (Jr.-Oostburg, Wis.) hit a three-pointer with six seconds left in the second overtime to tie the score at 90-90. The first extra session included three ties and two lead changes just in the final minute, including Hunter making two free throws to put the Muskies up 79-78 with 46 seconds left. Aiden Polzin (Jr.-Clintonville, Wis.) also split two foul shots to put Lakeland up two with 28 seconds left, but Houtakker scored with five seconds left to tie it at 80-80 and send the game to a second overtime.

The Muskies trailed by a slim margin for most of regulation but took the lead when Polzin hit back-to-back three-pointers late, the second giving Lakeland a 60-58 lead with 2:50 to play. Polzin then added a short jumper to push the lead to four, and the Muskies still led by three until Ellingson hit a tying three-pointer with 33 seconds left, knotting the game at 66-66. Lakeland's final possession ended in a turnover with 10 seconds left, but the Eagles also turned it over with two seconds remaining to push the game to overtime.

Hunter topped his career high scoring for the second straight game, finishing with 27 points plus eight rebounds and eight assists. Jaeger scored 22 points and Isaiah Hammond (Jr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) added 14 points plus 15 rebounds. Brayden Kennedy (Fr.-Manitowoc, Wis.) also scored 14 points. Lakeland finished the game shooting 39.6%, making 36 of 91 field goals including 12 of 29 from three-point range (41.4%).
Houtakker led Edgewood with 22 points plus a game-high 18 rebounds and Luke Cervelli added 19 points and 14 boards. The Eagles shot 38.6% (34 of 88) from the floor but made 25 of 31 free throws (80.6%) and outrebounded the Muskies 64-53.

The game was just the fourth triple-overtime game in Lakeland men's basketball history, and the first since the Muskies defeated Lake Forest (Ill.) College 113-112 in the 2012-13 season opener.

Lakeland is back home for its next game Wednesday when it hosts St. Norbert College at 7 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.