ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Lakeland University men's basketball team scored 53 points in the second half to keep the pressure on but Rockford University stayed one step ahead in defeating the Muskies 92-88 Saturday afternoon at the Seaver Center.

The Muskies cut a 17-point second half deficit to seven and kept scoring but the Regents did too and won the battle for position in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings. Rockford improved to 10-10 overall and 6-8 in the NACC, while Lakeland fell to 11-9 overall and 5-8 in conference.

The Muskies spent most of the afternoon in trail mode as the Regents enjoyed a big advantage in the paint. Rockford finished the game with a 48-30 rebounding advantage and had three players post double-doubles. Kevin Diemer scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Micah Swanson was a load inside with 20 points and 10 boards, making 9 of 12 shots from the field.

The Regents took the lead for good just before the midway point of the first half and led 44-35 at halftime. Lakeland briefly closed within 48-43 with 15:17 left in the second half on a jumper by Cam Jaeger (So.-Oostburg, Wis.), but Rockford answered with a 17-5 spurt and led 65-48 after a layup by Charles Burnell with 10:16 to play.

The Muskies rallied back and trailed 72-65 after Isaiah Hammond (So.-Milwaukee, Wis.) converted a three-point play with 5:29 remaining. Lakeland would score on six of its next nine trips down the court, too, but never got closer as the teams essentially traded baskets the rest of the game. Four more times the Muskies would score to get within seven, but they would get no closer until Aiden Polzin (So.-Clintonville, Wis.) and Christian Knox (Sr.-Ypsilanti, Mich.) both made three-pointers in the final six seconds, including Knox's at the buzzer for the game's final points.

Lakeland led by five points in the game's early going at 14-9 after a three by Knox, but eventually trailed by 12 late in the first half. The Regents shot 52.9% (18 of 34) in the opening half, scored 28 points in the paint and outrebounded the Muskies 24-10 over the first 20 minutes to gain the upper hand.

Lakeland finished shooting 44.6%, making 33 of 74 shots including 9 of 30 from three-point range (30.0%). Jaeger scored 23 points to lead five scoring in double figures. Polzin added 18 points, Hammond scored 17 and came near a triple-double with eight rebounds and eight assists, and Knox and Asanjai Hunter (Fr.-Racine, Wis.) added 11 points each.

Noody Lacy also posted a double-double for Rockford with 15 points and 12 rebounds and also added six assists. The Regents finished shooting 50% (35 of 70) and won for the fourth time in five games.

Lakeland's originally scheduled game at Concordia University Chicago on Tuesday has been canceled, and the Muskies next will hit the road to take on Dominican University Thursday at 5 p.m. in River Forest, Ill., in a non-conference game between the two NACC members.