The series between the Muskies and Eagles dates back to 1981, and the series has been close on a year-to-year basis almost from the start. Lakeland won the first six meetings before Edgewood won the next eight; since then, neither team has won more than four straight. The Eagles have won the last two games, both at home in Madison. The most recent was a 99-97 triple-overtime classic back on Dec. 2, as Drew Houtakker scored on a rebound putback as time expired in the third extra period to finally end  just the fourth triple-overtime game in Lakeland history. Edgewood also won the teams' lone meeting last season with an 86-74 win at home Jan. 21, 2023. Lakeland's last win in the series was also the last matchup here at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium, a 79-70 victory just under two years ago on Jan. 22, 2022.

Lakeland last time out: Lost at Wisconsin Lutheran 97-86 last Wednesday
The Muskies lost their third straight game, falling on the road to the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference co-leaders. WLC took control with a 16-4 run late in the first half  on the way to a 52-43 halftime lead, and Lakeland never got closer than six points the rest of the way. Cam Jaeger scored 21 points and added nine rebounds for the Muskies, who shot 41.5%. Kai Buliox added 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Edgewood last time out: Defeated MSOE 69-66 Saturday
The Eagles rallied in the final 10 minutes to turn back the Raiders at home to improve to 6-4 in the NACC. Edgewood trailed 56-47 with 10 minutes left in the game but went on a 21-5 run over the next eight minutes, then withstood a last-ditch MSOE rally that included a pair of chances to tie in the final 19 seconds. Drew Houtakker scored 13 points and added eight rebounds to lead six players scoring at least eight points for the Eagles, who shot 48.1% but made just 11 of 21 at the free throw line.

Edgewood has finished with the upper hand more than not in NACC play after starting the season 0-4 against a difficult non-conference schedule. The Eagles' conference games have almost always gone down to the wire, with eight of the 10 decided by nine points or less. Edgewood finished 7-18 overall a year ago and 7-10 in the NACC, rallying to tie for eighth in the conference after sitting at 1-15 overall at one point.

Recapping the first meeting: The Muskies played a triple-overtime game for the first time since their 2012-13 season opener, and the loss came in painful fashion. Lakeland took the lead with 10.9 seconds left in the third OT on two free throws by Asanjai Hunter, but Edgewood's Cade Ellingson scored the tying basket with 3.2 seconds remaining. Ellingson then stole the inbounds pass in the corner, turned and fired up a rushed shot, but Houstakker caught the rebound off the floor and on the run laid it up off the glass just before the clock hit zero. The two teams combined for 18 lead changes and 11 ties. Houtakker scored with five seconds left in the first overtime to tie the game, and Lakeland's Cam Jaeger hit a three-pointer with six seconds left in the second OT to keep the game going.