Box Score

MADISON, Wis. – There comes a point in every season when regular season games suddenly start to feel like postseason games. For Edgewood College and Lakeland College that point arrived Tuesday night at the Todd Wehr Edgedome. The Eagles ultimately prevailed 86-81 in a game that neither team ever led by double digits, to maintain a share of first place in the Northern Athletics Conference North Division.

Kent Faurote quickly gave the Eagles the lead and Jake Guziewski made it a 5-0 Eagle lead with a layup two minutes into the game. The Muskies (15-5, 9-3 NAC) came back and cut the deficit one before the Eagles went on an 8-2 run. Cashton Craig made his first of three three-point baskets and Joe Klocek followed with a triple putting the Eagles up 11-6. Craig capped the spurt and gave the Eagles their largest lead of the first half at 13-6 with under 14 minutes to go.

Lakeland slowly worked their way back as Jake Schwarz made a pair of free throws after a flagrant foul, and Jack Ridgway tied the game at 21 with 7:40 left in the first stanza with a layup. However, Justin Williams answered with a layup of his own to give the lead back to the Eagles, who won their first game this season when allowing 80 points. Craig put the Eagles up five with more than four minutes to go before the Muskies came back to tie the game at 32.

The Muskies took their first lead of the game on a pair of free throws by Schwarz before Derek Nkemnji responded with a layup. The score was again tied at 34 and 36 before Schwarz hit a triple to put the Muskies up by three with 10 seconds left in the half. Craig made a pair of free throws with one second left to make the halftime score 39-38.

Both offenses heated up early in the second half as Lakeland quickly came out and earned their largest lead of the game, 48-43 after a James Oshkeshequoam three-point basket just more than three minutes in. However, Craig and Guziewski answered with back-to-back triples, pulling the Eagles within on at 50-49, one minute later. Klocek then grabbed an offensive rebound and drilled his second of three three-point baskets to give the lead back to the Eagles.

Edgewood College (16-4, 10-2 NAC) stretched the lead to six before the Muskies worked their way back again. Justin Ward nailed a three-pointer with more than nine minutes to go to pull Lakeland within one and Stan McKenzie made a layup to put the Muskies up 66-65 with 8:50 left.

The lead was short lived, however, as Faurote drilled a three-point basket to give the lead back to the Eagles and Klocek made a jump shot to stretch the lead to 70-66. From there the Eagles held the Muskies at arm's length as Nkemnji and Guziewski iced the game at the free throw line. They each made both of their attempts from the charity stripe to make the final 86-81.

The Muskies shot 50.0 percent from the field while the Eagles shot 48.5 percent. The Eagles went 10-for-24 (41.7 percent) from three-point range while holding Lakeland to just 6-for-22, or 27.3 percent from long range. Edgewood College outrebounded the Muskies 45-28 and dished out 23 assists to Lakeland's 15 helpers.

Schwarz led Lakeland with 26 points and 10 rebounds while Ward scored 17 points to go along with nine rebounds. Josh Regal chipped in with 11 points and eight assists.

Craig and Faurote led the Eagles' balanced attack with 19 points apiece. Nkemji scored 14 points while Klocek and Williams scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. That marks the third time the Eagles have had five players score more than 10 points in a game this season, and second time against Lakeland. Faurote also grabbed 10 rebounds for his third double-double this year.

Edgewood College will be on road this Saturday when the play at Aurora University. Tipoff from Thornton Gymnasium is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.