Marian University Sabres (3-10 overall, 1-3 NACC)
at Lakeland University Muskies (6-7 overall, 3-1 NACC)
Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025Â Â 7:15 p.m.
Woltzen Gymnasium
Lakeland/Marian WBB Game Notes  PDF
Already 6-1 at home this season, the Lakeland University women's basketball team aims for another win at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium when it hosts Marian University Wednesday night at 7:15 p.m. in the second game of another Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader.
Broadcast Information:
Live video:Â
http://www.lakelandmuskies.com/muskieslive. Andy Damp is again serving as the Voice of the Muskies calling the play-by-play for Lakeland home basketball games this year.
Live statistics:Â
http://static.lakelandmuskies.com/custompages/stats/wbb/LS/xlive.htm
Series history:Â The Muskies and Sabres are longtime rivals whose history goes back to Lakeland's early years playing the sport in the 1970s and who have played each other regularly since the days of the Lake Michigan Conference. Complete records are unavailable, but in contests in both schools' current records Lakeland holds a 70-16 advantage in 85 meetings. The Muskies have beaten Marian five straight times, including a sweep of two games last year. Lakeland won 65-55 on Dec. 9, 2023 in Fond du Lac, and then held off the Sabres 76-71 in the most recent matchup last year Feb. 3 at the Woltzen Gymnasium in a fast-paced game where the Muskies erased a 14-point deficit. Marian's last win over Lakeland came Jan. 25, 2022, with a 66-62 win at home that was their first win over the Muskies since 2014 and snapped a 13-game losing streak in the series. Lakeland has dominated the series over a long stretch, winning 58 of the last 63 versus the Sabres.
Lakeland last time out: Defeated Concordia Chicago 77-51 Saturday
The Muskies started fast and won in their first home game of 2025 and first time playing at home in nearly a month. Lakeland scored 30 points in the first quarter, its fifth time scoring at least 30 in a quarter this season, and held a double-digit lead for the game's final 34 minutes, including leading by no less than 17 throughout the second half.
Halle Boldt scored a season-best 20 points, making 9 of 13 shots from the field and adding six rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots.
Jenna Caterino also scored a season-best 13 points and
Alexis Johnson added 12 points and eight steals, including six steals in the first quarter. Eleven different players scored in all, including 31 points from the bench, and the Muskies shot 45.9% while holding the Cougars to 23.6% shooting and forcing 29 turnovers.
Marian last time out: Lost to Aurora 67-42 Saturday
The Sabres struggled offensively in falling to the Spartans at home Saturday in NACC play. Aurora closed out the second and third quarters strong, with a 10-0 run to take a 29-17 halftime lead and then a 14-6 run to pull ahead by 20 after three periods. Marian shot just 23.7% and the Spartans ripped down 23 offensive rebounds to win the second meeting between the teams already this season. The Sabres lost their seventh straight despite being just the third team to hold Aurora below 70 points in a game this season. Lexi Brakebush scored 11 points, Chelsea King chipped in eight points and Lyla Bartol added six points plus a team-high eight rebounds.
About the Sabres: Marian's season has been one of streaks, with a three-game losing streak to open the campaign followed by three straight wins before the current seven-game skid. The Sabres hold wins over Lake Forest (Ill.), Beloit and Dominican, and their closest miss in their recent losing string was an overtime loss to Lawrence. Marian finished 7-18 overall last season and 5-11 in the NACC. The Sabres are led by King, a soccer and basketball star for Marian teams, and Brakebush, who is one of the top three-point shooters in the conference hitting a NACC-best 47.2% from long distance and ranking tied for second in the league with 25 made triples.
Up and down so far: Lakeland has had a decidedly boom or bust nature to its games this season so far, with 12 of its 13 contests decided by at least 12 points, including nine games decided by 26 points or more. The Muskies have shot 45% or better in six games, with a 6-0 mark in those, but also have five games shooting below 31% with a 0-5 mark in those. One area where Lakeland has been consistent this season is in getting to the free throw line more than opponents. The Muskies have shot more free throws than the opposition in 10 of 13 games, with one exception coming Saturday when Lakeland was somehow on the wrong end of a 31-8 free throw differential against Concordia Chicago.
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