RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Lakeland University men's basketball team held Dominican University scoreless for more than five minutes down the stretch and gained the upper hand late in a 72-69 road win Saturday afternoon at the Igini Sports Forum.

The Muskies made the final move in a game that included 11 lead changes and nine ties and won away from home for the third time in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play this season. Lakeland also won in its lowest-scoring game of the season and is now 4-4 overall and 2-2 in conference.

The Muskies trailed 65-60 with 6 minutes, 4 seconds left in the game when Dominican's Joshua West hit a three-pointer with 6 minutes, 4 seconds left in the game. Lakeland would slowly come back, getting within one after Brayden Kennedy (Fr.-Manitowoc, Wis.) hit a three-pointer with 5:01 left, and then taking the lead more than two minutes later when Asanjai Hunter (So.-Kenosha, Wis.) scored with 2:53 to play for a 66-65 lead.

The Stars (1-6 overall, 0-3 NACC) went empty on eight straight possessions, including five missed shots, a missed front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity plus two turnovers. Kennedy hit two free throws making it 68-65 with 1:09 left, and the Muskies would never trail again. Dominican got within a point on two occasions in the final minute, the last time when Camron Scott scored in the paint to make it 70-69 with 14 seconds left. Isaiah Hammond (Jr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) followed with two free throws, though, and the Stars' tying three-point attempt at the buzzer was off target.
 
Lakeland and Dominican were close throughout, with neither team leading by more than nine points. The Muskies held that largest lead early in the second half when a layup by Aiden Polzin (Jr.-Clintonville, Wis.) capped an 8-0 spurt for a 44-35 lead with 16:51 left.

Lakeland held a slim lead until Andre Bennett's jumper for Dominican tied the game at 54-54. Terrell Taylor then hit a shot next time down to give the Stars their first lead of the second half and set up a tight tussle the rest of the way.

Kennedy scored 15 points to lead the Muskies, making 6 of 9 shots from the field. Polzin scored 14 and Hammond and Cam Jaeger (Jr.-Oostburg, Wis.) added 12 points apiece. Lakeland shot 41.3%, making 26 of 63 from the field, but also converted 14 of 16 at the free throw line (87.5%). Hammond also added eight rebounds and nine assists.

Scott came off the bench to score 17 points to lead Dominican, which shot 50.9% (29 of 57) and also outrebounded Lakeland 36-34.

The Muskies are off for final exams next week until taking on Ripon College next Saturday on the road at 3 p.m. in Ripon.