PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Alexis Johnson (Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) scored a career-high 24 points for the second straight game but the Lakeland University women's basketball team fell in tough fashion with a 77-75 overtime loss to the University of Dubuque (Iowa) Wednesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

Lilly Craig hit the tying three-pointer with 11 seconds in regulation and then scored the go-ahead layup with just over a minute left in overtime for the Spartans. The Muskies fell in their home opener and dropped to 0-3 on the young season in non-conference play.

In a game that was close the entire way, Lakeland led for more than 36 minutes and trailed for just 2:14 of game time. The Muskies were by ahead by as much as nine points on two occasions in the third quarter and held a 73-69 lead in overtime when Lauryn Johnson (Sr.-Kenosha, Wis.) made two free throws with 2:25 left in the extra session.

Dubuque (2-0 overall) would score the next eight points, though, including a layup by Christina Simonetti, a steal by Simonetti and then two free throws to tie the game with 1:43 to play. Craig then scored with 1:01 left late in the shot clock to give the Spartans a 75-73 lead, and after a Lakeland miss on the other end Simonetti scored on an inbounds play with 19 seconds left to make it 77-73.

Lauryn Johnson scored on a driving layup with 8.8 seconds left to draw the Muskies within two, but Lakeland was unable to get the ball back. The Muskies twice just missed steals on inbounds passes, but after the second inbound play with five seconds left the Spartans were able to dribble away all but the final one-tenth of a second to wrap up the win.

Just the second-ever meeting between the schools and the first since 2001 saw play overwhelmingly dominated by the paint area and free throws. Lakeland scored all 75 of its points either in the paint or at the free throw line, going 0-for-9 from three-point range but hitting 27 of 40 foul shots (67.5%).

The Muskies also pressured the Spartans into 26 turnovers, turning those into a 31-14 advantage in points off turnovers. Lakeland also finished with a big 20-3 lead in fast break points after turning a number of steals into quick baskets.

The teams were tied on nine occasions and swapped the lead five times, though Dubuque led for just 1:13 in regulation. The Muskies stretched the lead out on several occasions, first going up seven points in the game's early minutes and later leading 38-29 just after halftime and again by nine at 50-41 when Jenna Shea (Jr.-Appleton, Wis.) made the second of two free throws with 3:20 left in the third quarter.

Dubuque answered back and took a 55-54 lead with 7:30 left in the fourth quarter on a layup by Craig, but Lakeland followed with the next six points capped by a basket by Jiaryatou Cisse (Jr.-Harrison, Mich.) to make it 60-55 with 5:34 remaining in regulation.

The Spartans scored five straight to rally back to tie at 60-60, but the Muskies were back up by four again at 68-64 after Lydia Levra (So.-Elk Mound, Wis.) fed Meghan MacPhee (Jr.-Marquette, Mich.) for a layup with 1:17 left. Alexis Johnson split two free throws with 19 seconds left to give Lakeland a 69-66 lead, but Craig's three-pointer from the corner eight seconds later would send the game to overtime.

Alexis Johnson made 8 of 15 field goals and 8 of 14 from the free throw line and also added six steals and five rebounds. She scored 24 points for the second straight game, after setting a career high with 24 points against the University of Wisconsin-Stout on Sunday.

Lauryn Johnson also scored 14 points and added 13 rebounds, and Bartlett and Cisse both added eight points each. Lakeland finished shooting 36.4%, making 24 of 66 shots.

Taylor Martin scored 19 points to lead Dubuque and was one of five scoring in double figures as the guests largely played with a seven-man rotation. Simonetti added 16 points and 14 rebounds and Craig finished with 13 points and nine boards.

Lakeland is back home again for its next game one week from Friday when it hosts another Dubuque school in Loras (Iowa) College Nov. 21 at 6 p.m.