The Muskies and Warriors resume a series that dates back to 1983 and one that has belonged to Wisconsin Lutheran of late. WLC has won nine straight over Lakeland, including the only meeting between the teams last year, a 59-43 victory in Milwaukee Feb. 1, 2023. The Warriors also won the last time the teams met at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium, with a 70-49 victory that was the first of two wins over the Muskies that month and also included a narrow 52-51 win in the 2022 NACC Tournament quarterfinals. The Muskies' last win in the series came against a ranked Lutheran team and spoiled the Warriors' first game as a nationally ranked squad, as Lakeland won 58-49 at home Jan. 30, 2018.

Lakeland last time out: Lost to St. Norbert 64-50 Saturday
The Muskies were competitive with the defending NACC champions but ultimately were done in by the Green Knights' fast starts to both halves. St. Norbert took an 18-4 lead in the game's first six minutes, but Lakeland chipped away and closed to within two by halftime. The Green Knights again rebuilt their lead back to 14 points late in the third quarter, but the Muskies cut the margin down to eight points in the fourth and were within single digits until SNC made 9 of 12 free throws in the final 1:10. Dani Damrow finished with eight points plus a career-high nine rebounds and Lauryn Johnson added seven points as Lakeland hung in despite shooting 29.6%, doing so by holding the Green Knights to 35.6% from the field.

Wisconsin Lutheran last time out: Defeated MSOE 42-28 Saturday
The Warriors shot just 25.6% but still handed the Raiders their first NACC loss in a game that finished with what resembled a football score. MSOE opened the game on a 9-0 run, but then scored just 19 points over the game's final 36 1/2 minutes, including WLC limiting the Raiders to four, eight and five points over the final three quarters. Lutheran took the lead for good on two free throws with 4:08 left in the second quarter by Sam Leisemann, who finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Jayden Hill added six points and 10 boards off the bench.

About the Warriors: Wisconsin Lutheran has long been the NACC's standard-bearer program under coach Klay Knueppel, winning the conference tournament 10 of the last 13 years and also posting nine regular season titles in that stretch. The Warriors were knocked from their perch last year by St. Norbert, finishing second to the Green Knights in both the regular season and tournament, but still finished 19-8 overall and 15-3 in conference play. WLC is off to an 8-4 start this year against a tough schedule that included a win over nationally ranked Hope (Mich.), a victory over 2023 NCAA Division III Tournament qualifier and a six-point loss to No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Transylvania (Ky.). Wisconsin Lutheran is led by Leisemann, who is averaging a double-double on the season with 16.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

Returnees carrying most of load: Lakeland entered this season with a vastly inexperienced team and a host of returnees who had played little in the past. Halfway through the season, it can be said those returnees have stepped up to take on a big load this year. Returnees have scored 525 of the team's 720 points, averaging 40.4 points per game, or 72.9% of the offensive production. That group also has totaled 72.7% of the team's rebounds and 70.9% of its steals, which breaks down to a pretty even distribution between returnees and newcomers on a team that featured 10 players back from last year plus five newcomers. Among those who have picked up their numbers the most are Jenna Caterino, who has gone from 3.4 points and 2.0 rebounds per game last year to a team-high 8.6 ppg and 4.7 rpg and A.T. Bartlett, who averaged 1.9 ppg and 1.5 rpg but this year is up to 8.1 ppg and 2.5 rpg. Lauryn Johnson and Alexis Johnson also have stepped up; the two combined for six points and five rebounds in 11 appearances between the two last year, but this year Lauryn is averaging 3.7 points and 4.5 rebounds a game and Alexis averages 4.3 ppg and 2.7 rpg.