WAUWATOSA, Wis. – The Lakeland University men's basketball team hung close into the second half but Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference co-leaders Wisconsin Lutheran College pulled away for a 97-86 win Wednesday night at the Time of Grace Center.

The Warriors shot 48.6% for the game and gradually stretched its lead late in improving to 12-3 overall and 7-1 in the NACC. Lakeland fell again on the road in dropping to 5-10 overall and 3-5 in conference.

Ryan Broeckel scored 34 points and added 12 rebounds and five blocked shots to lead five starters scoring in double figures for WLC. The Warriors made 47.1% of their shots (16 of 34) in the first half and were even better in the second half, hitting 18 of 36 (50.0%).

The teams traded the lead 14 times and were tied on four more occasions in a back-and-forth first half. The Muskies led as late as 37-36 after a layup by Jaxson Provost (Fr.-Kankakee, Ill.) with 4 minutes, 2 seconds left in the period, but Wisconsin Lutheran followed that with a 16-4 run and would never trail again.

The Warriors led 52-43 at halftime, and the hosts' lead hovered between six and 12 points for the first 13 minutes of the second half. Lakeland was still within single digits when Tim Ward (So.-Plainfield, Ill.) scored to make it 73-65 with 8:33 left, but WLC followed with an 8-1 run and would never lead by less than 10 the rest of the way.

Cam Jaeger (Jr.-Oostburg, Wis.) finished with 21 points and added nine rebounds for the Muskies, who finished shooting 41.5% (27 of 65). Kai Buliox (Jr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) added 18 points and 10 rebounds and Isaiah Hammond (Jr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Lakeland finally moves to a friendlier stretch of its schedule, with seven of its final 10 regular season games at home. The stretch starts with the Muskies hosting Edgewood College next Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.