Live statistics: https://cuwfalcons.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/boxscores/20230221_yoii.xml.

Series history: Lakeland and Concordia are long-time rivals dating back to when both schools began women's basketball in the 1970s. Complete series records are unavailable, but in Lakeland records dating back to 1982 the Falcons hold a 53-42 lead in 95 meetings. The teams split two meetings this season, both winning on the others' homecourt. The Muskies scored a 58-42 win on the road in Mequon Jan. 4, holding CUW to 32.2% shooting, but Concordia avenged that loss with a 71-63 win Saturday at Lakeland to clinch homecourt for the teams' third meeting of the season.

The teams have met three previous times in the NACC Tournament, with Concordia winning twice, including a 56-44 win in the quarterfinals in 2012 and a 90-63 blitzing of the Muskies in the 2019 semifinals. Lakeland's victory was a 64-60 win at CUW in the 2017 championship game that clinched the program's most recent trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Looking back at Saturday: The Muskies held an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter but the Falcons finished the game on a 26-10 run to take away a game that Lakeland led for more than 29 minutes. Concordia took the lead for good with 4:20 left in the game, and a three-pointer by Lily Guerra pushed the lead to six with 1:45 remaining. The Falcons then made 8 of their final 9 free throws in the final 37 seconds and made 13 of 15 from the line in the second half after hitting just 8 of 19 in the first half. Mackenzie Miller led Lakeland with a career-high 22 points and added eight rebounds and both Kacey Gardner and Sydney Walker scored 10 points each. Gardner also added seven rebounds and four assists, becoming the first Muskie in program history to top 400 career assists. Reagan Obry led CUW with 16 points and Emily Hafemann added 15.

First meeting vs. second: Comparing the teams' two meetings this season really comes down to comparing the first six quarters the teams played with the last two. Concordia shot just 32.2% in the Muskies' win in Mequon in January, and made just 34.8% in the first half as Lakeland took a 36-25 lead into halftime Saturday. The Falcons heated up in the second half, though, shooting 56% (14-for-25) while the Muskies sputtered in the final 20 minutes, shooting 28.9% (11 of 38). The free throw line also was a difference in both games. Lakeland made 15 of 20 at CUW while the Falcons hit just 3 of 11, but the Muskies were just 6-for-13 on Saturday while Concordia went to the line 34 times, making 21. Foul trouble also was an issue for Lakeland Saturday, including helping hold Brianna Jones scoreless with only three rebounds after she posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards in January, helping the Muskies to a 46-39 rebounding advantage in that game.

Redux, times two: For the second straight year, Lakeland is opening the NACC Tournament against the same team it concluded its regular season against just days earlier. The Muskies hosted Concordia Chicago in their 2022 regular season finale last year Feb. 15, then faced the Cougars four days later again at home in the first round of the NACC Tournament, which was expanded to include all 14 teams last year. Lakeland split the two games, losing to CUC 54-44 in the regular season game but then handling the Cougars 71-54 in the 8-vs.-9 matchup in the first round of the NACC tourney.