MADISON, Wis. - Opportunities to reach the postseason don't come around every day. That fact made the Edgewood College women's basketball team's 74-56 home loss to Lakeland College on Senior Night all the more difficult to take. The Eagles could have sewn up a berth in the Northern Athletics Conference Tournament and eliminated the Muskies, but now postseason hopes ride on Edgewood College's final two games.
Lakeland College (11-13, 9-8 NAC) scored 14 of the first 18 points of the game, including seven from Leah Eisner, before the Eagles got their feet back underneath them. Edgewood College (10-13, 9-7 NAC) still trailed 16-9 with a little more than 10 minutes left before halftime, when Dareon Henderson got the Eagles rolling with a steal and a fast break layup. AfterAllison Novitske drilled a three-pointer, Brooke McBain scored back to back baskets and Henderson added another to give the Eagles a 21-20 lead.
Lakeland's Becky Mayo answered with a basket, but four straight points by Edgewood College's Chelsey Watkins and a pair of buckets from senior Alison Tobin gave Edgewood College a 29-24 lead at halftime. The Eagles outscored the Muskies 20-8 over the final 10:05 of the half.
Fortunes would change for the worse in the second half. Lakeland College opened the half with a 15-6 run to claim a 39-35 lead. A pair of free throws and a layup from Tobin kept the Eagles close, but eight points from Taylor Jandrin and another basket from Mayo pushed the Muskies lead to 53-41 with less than seven minutes to play. The Muskies went up by as many as 16 points, before a basket by Henderson and two more from Tobin cut Lakeland's led to 61-51 with 3:11 to play, but that was as close as the Eagles would get. Lakeland scored their last 13 points of the game from the free throw line.
Tobin made the most of her senior night, posting a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Her performance marked Tobin's fifth double-double of the season. Henderson added eight points and a pair of blocked shots. Watkins scored seven points and six rebounds, while Mariah Hill dished out a team-high five assists. Edgewood College shot 34.8 percent from the field, including just 2-for-15 from the three-point line.
Eisner scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Mayo also had a double-double with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Lakeland College shot 44.4 percent, and were aided by an 18-24 performance at the free throw line.
Edgewood College's postseason opportunity still lies within their own control. The Eagles still maintain a half-game lead over the Muskies for the fourth and final NAC Tournament berth in the NAC North Division. Edgewood College will clinch a playoff spot with wins over Rockford College on Saturday and MSOE on February 12. Should they falter in either game, Lakeland College can steal the final NAC Tournament berth by defeating MSOE on February 13. Saturday's game at Rockford begins at 2:00 p.m.