FOND DU LAC, Wis. – Lakeland University turned the game with a 17-3 run late in the second half and went on to win its third straight on the road in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference men's basketball play, defeating Marian University 82-77 Wednesday night at Sadoff Gymnasium.

The Muskies shot 51.9% for the game and earned a satisfying win to improve to 5-10 overall and 3-5 in conference play. Lakeland also earned a split of the season series with the Sabres (8-6 overall, 5-3 NACC), avenging a three-point loss to Marian at home just over a month ago.

The Muskies came back after trailing by as many as 10 points in the second half with less than 12 minutes left in the game, and were down 63-57 after Alex Vassilakis converted a three-point play for Marian with nine minutes remaining. Lakeland made its move soon after, holding the Sabres to just three points over the next six minutes.

The Muskies also struggled to score in that stretch at first, but a string of eight straight points included Peyton Mrotek (Sr.-Luxemburg, Wis.) hitting a three-pointer for a 67-65 lead with 5:15 left. Mrotek added a tip-in and two free throws, and Jaxson Dillon (Sr.-Menasha, Wis.) hit a three-pointer to give Lakeland its largest lead at 74-66 with 3:21 remaining.

The rest of the game boiled down to free throws, and the Muskies made enough down the stretch, hitting 8 of 12 at the line the remainder of the game. The Sabres got as close as two points on Andrew Ayeni's layup making it 75-73 with 1:11 left, but Dillon split two free throws, Marian went empty on its next trip and Parker Braun (Jr.-Brillion, Wis.) made two free throws to stretch the lead to 78-73. The Sabres got back within 80-77 after a four-point play by Marvin Haslett with 17 seconds left, but Gage Cornell (Sr.-Manitowoc, Wis.) made one of two free throws and Braun split two foul shots to close it out.

Lakeland made 27 of 52 field goals in the game and shot nearly identical in both halves, hitting 14 of 27 (51.9%) in the first half and 13 of 25 (52.0%) in the second. The Muskies were the much more consistent team throughout, as Marian shot 16 of 25 in the first half (64.0%) in taking a slim 38-36 lead into halftime but just 35.5% (11 of 31) in the second half.

Dillon scored 20 points and added a career-high eight rebounds and Mrotek also scored 19 points. Max Justic (Fr.-Chicago, Ill.) also scored 16 points and Braun and Emmitt Konieczny (So.-Marshfield, Wis.) added 12 points. Braun also posted nine rebounds as Lakeland outrebounded Marian 31-30.

Ayeni scored 21 points and Vassilakis added 20 points for the Sabres, who shot 48.2% (27 of 56). Marian defeated Lakeland 67-64 in the teams' first meeting on Dec. 13.

The Muskies are on the road again on Saturday, taking on Concordia University Chicago at 3:15 p.m. in River Forest, Ill.