First playing in 1935 and consistent rivals since 1977, the Muskies and Raiders play for the first and only time this season. Milwaukee School of Engineering won the teams' lone matchup last season, taking a 93-89 win in Milwaukee on Jan. 20, 2024. The game featured 14 ties and 10 lead changes and all five starters scored in double figures for both teams. Lakeland's last win in the series came in the last meeting at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium, a 74-73 win Jan. 31, 2023. The Muskies have won four of the last seven games between the schools; prior to that, the Raiders had won the prior 11 meetings. The series dates back to 1935, and Lakeland won 26 straight over the Raiders from 1939-87, a stretch that included an absence in the series from 1940-77.

Lakeland last time out: Won at Lawrence 102-98 (OT) Saturday
The Muskies played for the first time in two weeks and the first time in 2025 and outlasted the Vikings on the road in Appleton in overtime in their final non-conference game of the season. Lakeland shot 56.9% and needed all of it in a game that was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than nine at any point. The Muskies led almost the entire second half before Lawrence rallied to tie late, but Lakeland took the lead early in overtime and led the rest of the way to move to 2-0 in overtime games this season. Cliff McCray scored 22 points to lead five players scoring in double figures, with Asanjai Hunter also scoring 20, Jaxson Dillon adding 18, Peyton Mrotek scoring 17 and Isaiah Hammond adding 16.

The Muskies now begin the bulk of their Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference schedule and do so playing well after a 0-7 start to the season. Lakeland is 3-2 in its last five games over the last month, and now begins a stretch of three consecutive home games. McCray also became the sixth different Muskie to lead the team in scoring in a game this season, joining Dillon, Hammond, Hunter, Mrotek and Tim Ward in that category.

MSOE last time out: Defeated Concordia Wisconsin 79-75 Saturday
The Raiders also played for the first time in 2025 and picked up a conference win, coming back to defeat the Falcons at home. MSOE trailed 32-25 at halftime but scored 54 points in the second half, shooting 60% over the final 20 minutes. The Raiders were down 12 early in the second half but turned the game with a huge 27-5 run over a span of just under seven minutes. Donovan Carter scored 24 points and Jonathan Burroughs added 18 points plus a team-high nine rebounds for MSOE.

The Raiders enter with a 7-5 mark overall on the season, and the vast majority of their games have been close with nine decided by single digits, including five by five points or less. MSOE won four straight earlier in the season but had lost three of four before Saturday. The Raiders finished 12-14 overall a year ago and 9-9 in the NACC, falling as the No. 6 seed in the NACC Tournament quarterfinals to No. 3 seed Benedictine.