The Lakeland University men's basketball team survived a tying three-point shot at the end of regulation, gaining the upper hand in overtime and holding off Milwaukee School of Engineering 85-80 Saturday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies completed a two-game sweep of the Raiders and won their third straight, improving to 4-2 overall. Lakeland also is now 3-1 in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference North Division play.

Lakeland made 4 of 7 shots in the overtime, including both three-point attempts, and also hit seven of eight free throws in the extra session. A 15-second segment especially played a big part in turning momentum and putting the Muskies in good position down the final stretch.

The teams were tied at 73-73 when Jequan Pegeese (Sr.-Beloit, Wis.) drove and scored inside off the glass to give Lakeland a two-point lead. MSOE (2-3 overall, 0-2 NACC North) would turn it over just seconds later, with Cam Jaeger (Fr.-Oostburg, Wis.) stealing the ball at midcourt, then pulling up and hitting a three-pointer for a five-point lead.

The Muskies would never trail again, answering every time the Raiders drew closer in the final two minutes. Jaeger scored again on a layup and later split two free throws for an 81-78 lead with 19 seconds left, and Trenton Nickel (Sr.-Kiel, Wis.) made four free throws in the final 12 seconds. The latter two makes closed it out with :00.4 left, after MSOE's Michael Pitrof missed a tying three-point try with five seconds left in overtime.

It was Pitrof who hit a three-pointer from the right wing at the buzzer of regulation to send the game into overtime. The Muskies led by three after two foul shots by Nickel with five seconds left, but Pitrof was able to take and make a game-tying shot to send the game to an extra period.

Momentum was fleeting for both teams in the late going, and with just over a minute to play it was Lakeland appearing in dire straits. MSOE held a 65-61 lead with 1:05 left when Nickel missed a three-pointer, but the Raiders' Josh Herzog was whistled for a foul while contesting the shot. Nickel made all three free throws, then hit a short jumper to give the Muskies the lead, and then made two free throws for a three-point lead before Pitrof's tying shot.

Lakeland was able to win Saturday night despite being outshot and outrebounded. The Muskies shot just 39.4% for the game (26 of 66), well below their 52.5% marksmanship a win over MSOE the night before and also were outrebounded 47-36.

The Raiders committed 22 turnovers, though, and the Muskies turned the miscues into 34 points. Lakeland also made 22 of 24 free throws (91.7%) and hit 11 of 26 from three-point range (42.3%).

Nickel scored 20 points for the second straight night, including making 9 of 9 from the free throw line. Pegeese scored 16 points and Jaeger and Matt Sechman (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) scored 15 each. Tylan Huff (So.-Milwaukee, Wis.) also added 11 points off the bench.

Pitrof scored 21 points to lead MSOE, which shot 44.9% (31 of 69) and held a 44-22 advantage in points in the paint. Ty Miklowski added 16 points and Steve Dillard scored 14 points off the bench.

The Muskies next will go on the road to face Wisconsin Lutheran College for a two-game series next weekend in Milwaukee. Game time for the first game Friday night is at 7 p.m.