BELOIT - Jake Schwarz (Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) scored 30 points with an efficient performance and a big second half as the Lakeland College men's basketball team pulled away in the second half for a 92-80 win over Beloit College Tuesday night.
Justin Ward (Jr.-Wisconsin Dells, Wis.) scored 17 points, James Oshkeshequoam (Jr.-Keshena, Wis.) chipped in 16 points and Joey Burris (So.-Kiel, Wis.) added 14 points as the Muskies shot nearly 50% for the game. Lakeland also hit 14 three-pointers in improving to 2-0 while dropping Beloit to 0-2.
Schwarz made 11 of 17 shots in the game, including six of eight three-point tries. He heated up late in the first half and then scored 18 points in the second half, when he made seven of nine shots, including all four of his three-point attempts.
The Muskies broke free in a close game with an 11-2 run early in the second half to take the lead for good. Schwarz hit a three, Ward had four points and Germell Heard (Sr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) scored inside to cap the run and give Lakeland a 60-53 lead.
Beloit closed back within three points but got no closer as the Muskies gradually pulled away. Oshkeshequoam scored inside for the first double-digit lead of the game at 70-60, and Schwarz scored 10 points in a row as Lakeland led by as many as 15 points.
Prior to Lakeland's surge the game went back and forth with 10 ties and 20 lead changes in the first 25 minutes. Neither team led by more than five points in the first half, with the Muskies taking a 41-37 lead into the break after Schwarz scored the final eight points of the half.
Both teams shot the ball well, with Lakeland making 28 of 57 field goal attempts and Beloit shooting even better at 33-for-58 (56.9%). The Buccaneers also out-rebounded the Muskies 35-28, but the difference was at the three-point line, where Lakeland shot 14-for-24 while Beloit hit just four of 16 from beyond the arc.
James Lazarcik led the Buccaneers with 18 points, shooting 7-for-8 from the field. Steve McAfee added 14 points off the bench.
The Muskies open Northern Athletics Conference play next Tuesday when they travel to face defending NAC Tournament champion Edgewood College in Madison at 7 p.m.