PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Asanjai Hunter (Sr.-Racine, Wis.) and Peyton Mrotek (Sr.-Luxemburg, Wis.) scored 17 points each but the Lakeland University men's basketball team fell to Lawrence University 93-79 Friday night in both teams' season opener at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

Lawrence shot 73.1% in the second half to pull away down the stretch and avenge an overtime loss to the Muskies last season in Appleton. The Vikings improved to 30-13 in the all-time series between the non-conference opponents and schools separated by little more than an hour.

Lawrence took control of the game midway through the second half, with a 13-3 run to turn a one-point lead into a 68-57 margin with 8:08 left in the game. The Vikings went to work in the paint especially in the final 20 minutes and Casey Schoenecker scored seven points in the run capped by Nick Gouriotis hitting a short jumper inside to push the lead to 11.

Lakeland never got closer than six points the rest of the way, the last time when Jaxson Dillon (Sr.-Menasha, Wis.) hit a three-pointer to cut Lawrence's lead to 68-62 with 6:46 left. The Vikings answered with three-pointers by C.J. Campbell and later by Hogan Demovsky, and after shaky free throw shooting by both teams all night the guests finally heated up down the stretch, making their final eight foul shots.

Lakeland came out of the gates strong, taking a nine-point lead less than three minutes in after Parker Braun (Jr.-Brillion, Wis.) opened the game with seven of the team's first nine points and Hunter drove and scored to make it 12-3. The Muskies continued to lead until Lawrence tied at 18-18 on two Gouriotis free throws, then took the lead when Gouriotis hit a three-pointer with 10:24 left in the half.

The Vikings would trail only one more time the rest of the game, when Lakeland ran off 11 straight points to turn a 29-20 deficit into a 31-29 lead, capped by a three-pointer by Mrotek with 4:40 left in the first half. Lawrence would take a 40-38 lead into halftime after Emmitt Konieczny (So.-Marshfield, Wis.) hit a three-pointer with 34 seconds left in the period.

Hunter hit 8 of 13 field goals and added seven assists and two steals and Mrotek made five three-pointers and also added five rebounds and four steals. Dillon also scored 15 and Braun and Tim Ward (Sr.-Plainfield, Ill.) added 11 points each as all five starters scored in double figures.

Lakeland shot 43.5% for the game, making 30 of 69 shots including 11 of 30 from three-point range (36.7%). The Muskies hit just 8 of 19 free throws (42.1%) and also were outrebounded 50-32.

Gouriotis scored 23 points and Schoenecker added 22 plus 12 rebounds to lead Lawrence, which shot 55.2% for the game, making 32 of 58 shots.

Lakeland is home again for its next game in one week when it hosts Martin Luther (Minn.) College Friday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.