PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Marian University's Andrew Ayeni scored the go-ahead basket with 1:03 left in the game and the Lakeland University men's basketball team dropped a tough 67-64 decision Saturday afternoon in the team's final appearance at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium in 2025.

Ayeni provided the final of eight lead changes in the game and added two free throws with 20 seconds left in finishing with a game-high 25 points. The Muskies fell to 2-6 overall and are 0-4 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference heading into three more non-conference games in December before hitting the heart of conference play in the new year.

Lakeland came back from an eight-point deficit earlier in the second half and after trailing 61-57 with less than 4 1/2 minutes left, taking the lead back when Peyton Mrotek (Sr.-Luxemburg, Wis.) hit a three-pointer for a 64-63 lead with 3:07 to play. The Muskies had a pair of opportunities to extend the lead but missed a pair of shots, and the Sabres (5-3 overall, 3-1 NACC) took the lead back when Ayeni scored while being fouled with just over a minute left.

Ayeni missed the first throw, but Lakeland missed a three-point attempt with 31 seconds left, and after a timeout the Muskies fouled Ayeni with 20 seconds left. He made both foul shots, and the Muskies' final possession could only net a heavily contested three-point attempt by Mrotek that was off target with two seconds left. Lakeland was unable to get off another shot.

The two teams engaged in a game that was close virtually throughout after both staged big runs early. Marian scored the game's first four points before the Muskies countered with 15 straight points. Adison Mittelstadt (Fr.-Mayville, Wis.) and Asanjai Hunter (Sr.-Racine, Wis.) combined for 13 points in the run and a layup by Parker Braun (Jr.-Brillion, Wis.) gave Lakeland a 15-4 lead less than six minutes in.

The Sabres then answered back with 16 straight points of their own. Marian's change to a zone defense paid off, and Ayeni's layup made it 20-15 with 9:51 left in the half. Both teams would settle in from there, with Lakeland retaking the lead late in the half on a basket by Max Justic (Fr.-Chicago, Ill.) before the Sabres' Marvin Haslett scored with seven seconds left in the half to tie the game at 30-30 at the break.

Marian slowly stretched the lead to eight points at 51-43 in the second half before the Muskies came back to tie again. Gage Cornell (Sr.-Manitowoc, Wis.) hit a three-pointer from the corner to cap an 8-0 run and make it 51-51 with 9:15 left, and the teams were separated by more than three points just one time the rest of the way.

Hunter scored 21 points and Mittelstadt added 15 points to lead Lakeland, with Braun and Justic adding eight points each and Braun leading the team with seven rebounds. The Muskies shot 44.4% (24 of 54) but were outrebounded 42-28, resulting in the Sabres posting an 18-6 edge in second chance points.

Ayeni finished with 25 points plus 11 rebounds and four steals for Marian, which shot just 34.5% (19 of 55) but grabbed 18 offensive rebounds. Haslett also added 18 points off the bench.

Lakeland is on the road for its next game Tuesday when it travels to face Beloit College at 7 p.m. in Beloit in a non-conference game.