PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University men's basketball team played 45 minutes for the third time this season, and for the third time in those games delivered a victory by edging Concordia University Chicago 77-76 Saturday afternoon at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Cougars missed a tying free throw with less than a second left in overtime and the Muskies improved to 4-10 overall but 3-0 in overtime games on the season. Lakeland also is now 3-4 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference and moved ahead of CUC in the standings after the Cougars dropped to 5-8 overall and 3-5 in the NACC.

The Muskies shot just 31.8%, trailed by four points with 12 seconds left in regulation, were outrebounded and had four players foul out, but still found a way in a fiercely contested game throughout. Lakeland even went the final four minutes of overtime without a field goal, but made 9 of 12 free throws in the extra session and got enough stops of the Cougars to win at home for the first time this season.

The Muskies were in trouble in regulation when Carter Langendorf made two free throws to give Concordia a 64-60 lead with 13 seconds left. Lakeland was able to rush the ball up the court, though, and after a timeout Jaxson Dillon (Jr.-Menasha, Wis.) banked in a three-pointer to close the gap to 64-63.

Concordia Chicago's A.J. Williard then missed two free throws with eight seconds left, giving the Muskies a chance to win, and Asanjai Hunter (Jr.-Racine, Wis.) was fouled with three seconds remaining. Hunter missed the first free throw but made the second, and CUC's tying three-point attempt from beyond halfcourt was way off to ensure five more minutes.

Lakeland scored the first four points of overtime after jumpers by Parker Braun (So.-Brillion, Wis.) and Dillon and would never trail again. The Cougars continued to battle back, though, getting within a point on five occasions. Aaron Brown hit two free throws with 12 seconds left to get CUC within 76-75, and Peyton Mrotek (Jr.-Luxemburg, Wis.) split two free throws two seconds later to give the Cougars a final chance to tie or take the lead.

Tallis Lowery drove to the basket and was fouled with :00.8 left, and he made the first of two free throws. Lakeland called timeout, and Lowery missed the second free throw. The rebound was grabbed by freshman Gavin Saunders (Negaunee, Mich.), in the game for the first time after Dillon was called for his fifth foul, making him the fourth player to foul out in coach Sam Schroeder's eight-man rotation in the contest. Saunder grabbed the board in just his second appearance of the season and time expired, clinching the victory.

Lakeland prevailed in a contest that was physical and close throughout. The teams combined for 80 free throws, and neither squad led by more than the Muskies' nine-point lead early in the first half, with the teams separated by only one possession much of the game.

Lakeland got off to a good start and went ahead 21-12 with 11:12 left in the first half on a layup by Camren McIntosh (So.-Racine, Wis.), who came off the bench and delivered a big game with a career-high 17 points including 12 in the first half. The Muskies never trailed in the opening 20 minutes until Lowery made the second of two free throws to put Concordia up 32-31, but another McIntosh layup with 32 seconds left in the half gave Lakeland a 33-32 halftime lead.

The Muskies briefly built the lead back to seven early in the second half after a pair of Dillon layups made it 39-32, but the Cougars fought back while Lakeland went cold. CUC outscored Lakeland 17-5 over a nine-minute stretch, and Joel Watts made two free throws to give the guests a 49-44 lead with 8:49 remaining in regulation.

The Muskies hit just 7 of 27 from the field in the second half (25.9%) but hung around and tied the game again at 51-all when Cliff McCray (Sr.-Madison, Wis.) made three free throws after being fouled with 6:12 left. Lakeland even went back ahead by four at 55-51 after Mrotek's three-pointer with 5:01 remaining, but Concordia came back to tie and the teams went back and forth down the stretch until CUC regained the lead with Langendorf hitting two foul shots to make it 59-58 with 50 seconds left in regulation.

Lakeland hit just 21 of 66 shots from the field, including 8 of 36 from three-point range (22.2%). The Muskies converted 27 of 38 from the free throw line (71.1%). Dillon scored a game-high 22 points, Hunter also scored 13 and McCray added 12 plus 10 rebounds before fouling out. Braun also finished with eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds.

Langendorf led Concordia Chicago with 14 points off the bench, as the Cougars finished with a 41-17 advantage in bench points. CUC shot 43.4% (23 of 53) but made just two three-pointers and also committed 24 turnovers.

The Muskies are home again Wednesday when they welcome Marian University for a 5 p.m. start.