The Muskies and Illinois Institute of Technology meet for the second time this season in a series Lakeland has dominated thus far. Lakeland won the teams' first meeting 68-39 back on Dec. 3 in Chicago, and also defeated Illinois Tech 73-61 on Feb. 15, 2025 in the only matchup between the schools last season. The Muskies last time playing IIT at home at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium also was a 76-57 victory Jan. 31, 2024. The teams became conference foes when the Scarlet Hawks joined the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in 2018, and the Muskies have won all 11 meetings since. The schools first squared off Jan. 5, 1994 as Lakeland routed Illinois Tech 78-34 at home in the Wehr Center Fieldhouse.

Lakeland last time out: Lost to Aurora 81-68 Saturday
The Muskies put some pressure on the Spartans with a rally in the final quarter but dropped their third straight game. Lakeland played better than in losses to Concordia Chicago and Wisconsin Lutheran in its previous two games, but the Muskies were hurt by 30 turnovers in falling behind by 22 points by halftime and by as much as 27 in the third quarter. Lakeland cut a 27-point second half deficit down to 12 points with just under four minutes left and got as close as 11 in the final minute. A.T. Bartlett scored 22 points, including 20 points and four three-pointers in the second half, and Sadie Grabow added 11 points including three three-pointers. Alexis Johnson also scored 11 points with four steals and Jiaryatou Cisse also added eight points plus a game-high 11 rebounds.

Illinois Tech last time out: Lost at Marian 65-47 Saturday
The Scarlet Hawks made a run midway through the second half to threaten late but fell to the Sabres on the road in Fond du Lac. IIT trailed 41-27 at halftime and by 19 in the third quarter before fighting back to get within eight points at 55-47 early in the fourth. The Scarlet Hawks would go scoreless for the game's final 6:09, though, and dropped their 11th straight game. Chloe Churilla and Abigail Marino led Illinois Tech with 12 points each and Morgan Applewhite added eight points plus 12 rebounds.

Recapping the first meeting: The Muskies had one of their more efficient shooting games of the season in a comfortable win in the first matchup down in Chicago. Lakeland shot 45% from the field, making 27 of 60 field goals in winning its NACC opener and earning its first win of the season after five losses. Alexis Johnson scored 18 points and added five rebounds and five steals, Sydney Nimsakont scored nine points and chipped in three steals, and Sadie Grabow, Lauryn Johnson and Jenna Shea all added eight points each. Halle Williams paced IIT with 11 points, but the Scarlet Hawks shot just 25% (14 of 56).