PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University women's basketball team recovered from a rocky start to dominate the final three quarters and cruise to a 56-33 win over Illinois Tech Wednesday night in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
The Muskies allowed 16 points in the first quarter but then just 17 over the final three quarters in holding an opponent to a season low for points scored. Lakeland also snapped a three-game losing streak and moved to 8-11 overall and 5-6 in the NACC with six regular season games remaining.
The Muskies took a little time to warm up but asserted control of the game by outscoring Tech 18-3 in the second quarter to take a 25-19 halftime lead. Down 16-7 after one period, Lakeland took the lead when
Sadie Grabow (
So.-Bourbonnais, Ill.) fed a great pass to
Ariana Vaitkeveciute (
So.-Merrionette Park, Ill.) for a layup to make it 20-19 with 4:53 left in the first half. The Muskies would never trail again, making 8 of 13 shots in the quarter in all (61.5%) and also forcing eight IIT turnovers in the period.
Lakeland would stretch the lead in the second half while substituting freely, and a three-point play by
Lydia Levra (
So.-Elk Mound, Wis.) gave the Muskies a 43-25 lead with 2:06 remaining in the third quarter. The Muskies would push the lead past 20 points in the fourth quarter, holding the Scarlet Hawks (2-16 overall, 1-10 NACC) to four points in the last period and leading by as much as 26 points late.
Meghan MacPhee (
Jr.-Marquette, Mich.) led Lakeland in scoring with nine points off the bench and added seven rebounds, and
Madelyn Abler (
Fr.-Random Lake, Wis.) also scored eight points off the bench, making all three field goal attempts and adding five rebounds. Ten different players scored in the game and seven scored at least five points.
Jiaryatou Cisse (
Jr.-Harrison, Mich.) added four points plus a team-high eight rebounds,
Alexis Johnson (
Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) added six points, five rebounds and a game-high four steals and Levra scored five points with four rebounds and three assists.
Lakeland finished shooting 37.7% (23 of 61), including 46.5% (20 of 43) after being unable to buy a basket in the opening quarter, when Illinois Tech opened making 7 of 13 from the field. The Scarlet Hawks made just four of their final 25 shots, though, finishing at 28.9% (11 of 38). The Muskies also added a big 45-25 rebounding advantage including 20 offensive rebounds.
Berit Rusing led Illinois Tech with 11 points and Chloe Churilla added seven points and four rebounds.
The Muskies go on the road for their next game Saturday, taking on Rockford University at 1 p.m. in Rockford, Ill.
