STORM LAKE, Iowa – Buena Vista (Iowa) University took control with a big first half and went on to defeat the Lakeland University men's basketball team 94-70 Friday evening at BVU's Siebens Fieldhouse.

Buena Vista scored 50 points in the first half in building a 24-point halftime lead and the Muskies dropped to 2-8 on the season. The host Beavers of the American Rivers Conference improved to 7-3 overall.

Buena Vista shot 50.0% for the game (33 of 66), including 51.4% (19 of 37) in the first half. BVU broke the game open by outscoring Lakeland 31-9 over a stretch of nearly 10 minutes in the middle of the opening half, turning a one-point game early into a 42-19 margin after a rebound and putback by Jaden Jones with 4:27 left in the half.

BVU led 50-26 at halftime, and the teams largely traded baskets in the final 20 minutes. The Muskies never got closer than 22 points in the second half.

Asanjai Hunter (Sr.-Racine, Wis.) scored 15 points and added five assists to lead Lakeland, and he now needs nine points to reach the 1,000-point mark for his Muskies career. Peyton Mrotek (Sr.-Luxemburg, Wis.) also scored 13 points and Max Justic (Fr.-Chicago, Ill.) added 11 points.

R.J. Hines Jr. (Jr.-Gainesville, Fla.) also added a team-high five rebounds. Lakeland shot 38.2% (26 of 68), including 6 of 26 (23.1%) from three-point range.

Jayden Brink led Buena Vista with 22 points and added five rebounds and five assists. Carter Sievers also scored 14 points. The Beavers hit 10 of 26 from long distance (38.5%) and also held a 48-33 rebounding advantage.

Lakeland now has a 10-day break before traveling to take on the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Monday, Dec. 29 at 3 p.m. in Stevens Point.