LISLE, Ill. – Tim Ward (Jr.-Plainfield, Ill.) scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half but the Lakeland University men's basketball team was defeated by Benedictine University 90-76 Saturday afternoon on the road in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game.

The Muskies made several runs in the game but spent much of the afternoon playing from behind and dropped their third straight game. The Eagles won a battle for position in the NACC standings and also swept the teams' home-and-home series in conference, backing up their 98-84 win at Lakeland back on Dec. 14.

Benedictine (7-13 overall, 6-7 NACC) shot 55.0% for the game, making 33 of 60 shots including 10 of 20 from three-point range. The Eagles were even better in the second half, shooting 62.1% (18 of 29) to stay a step or two ahead even as the Muskies made a run.

Benedictine led 40-31 at halftime and took its largest lead of the game when Landen Johnsten's layup made it 62-45 with 12 minutes, 54 seconds left in the contest. Lakeland answered with a 15-3 run, with Ward, Peyton Mrotek (Jr.-Luxemburg, Wis.) and Gage Cornell (Jr.-Manitowoc, Wis.) all hitting three-pointers and Mrotek's free throws cutting the Eagles' lead to 65-60 with 9:30 to play.

Benedictine came right back with seven straight points, though, scoring on three straight possessions to go back ahead 72-60. The Eagles soon pushed the lead back to 14, and any hopes of a comeback were dashed when the Muskies went scoreless for more than four minutes late.

Lakeland led just once in the game, an early 9-8 edge after Mrotek hit the first of his four three-pointers on the way to 16 points. Benedictine built its first double-digit advantage just past the midway point of the first half when Brandon McCoy hit a three-pointer to make it 24-14.

The Eagles led by as much as 14 in the first half at 31-17, but the Muskies closed back within 35-31 with 3:35 left in the half after a three by Cornell. Lakeland went scoreless the rest of the half, though, and both teams were scoreless for the final 2:53 until Nathan LaPlant's bucket at the buzzer to put the hosts up nine at the halftime break.

Ward finished making 7 of 11 shots from the field including 2 of 3 from three-point range. Asanjai Hunter (Jr.-Racine, Wis.) made it three Muskies scoring in double figures with 16 points.
Isaiah Hammond (Sr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) also added nine points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Lakeland shot 44.4% for the game, hitting 28 of 63 shots including 18 of 34 (52.9%) in the second half.

Pat Mayfield led Benedictine with 24 points plus seven rebounds and LaPlant added 21 points. In addition to shooting 55%, the Eagles also posted a 39-33 rebounding edge.

Lakeland is on the road again for its next game Wednesday when it travels to face Concordia University Wisconsin at 7 p.m. in Mequon.