MADISON, Wis. – The Edgewood College men's basketball team battled back to take a second half lead, but a cold shooting spell doomed the Eagles in their 77-65 loss to Lakeland University in the team's NACC opener. Tyler Lemke scored a career-high 18 points, but the Eagles were denied their first win of the 2016-17 season.

Edgewood College (0-3, 0-1 NACC) opened an early 12-9 lead on a basket from Emil Radisevic, a three-pointer by Spencer Barnes and a free throw by Lemke. Lakeland University (1-3, 1-1 NACC) regained the lead at 17-15 on a layup by Brandon James, and maintained it the rest of the first half. The Muskies actually pushed their lead as high as 10 points with 2:29 to go until halftime, but a pair of three-pointers from Barnes and Jacob Miller to close the half, cut the Muskies lead to 38-32.

The Eagles burst from the locker room in the second half, to tie the game in the first 90 seconds. Adam Freitag scored a mid-range jumper, followed by a pair of free throws and a driving layup by Lemke off a feed from Radisevic. Radisevic scored two free throws to keep the Eagles ahead 43-42, but that would be the last Edgewood College lead of the game.

Lemke really went to work with about eight minutes to go in the game. On back-to-back positions Lemke drove hard to the hoop and converted a pair of baskets to pull the Eagles within two points at 62-60. However, the Eagles would go cold from the field, missing their next nine field goal attempts as Lakeland pulled away with a 15-3 run. Lemke's final bucket of the night with 25 seconds remaining ended the cold stretch, and gave the sophomore a new career-high in points.

Lemke shot 7-for-11 from the field on his way to 18 points. Radisevic pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and went 9-for-10 from the free throw line to finish with a season-high 15 points. Barnes and Adam Freitag each hit a pair of three-pointers. Edgewood College shot 39.2 percent from the field for the game.

Lakeland had three players in double figures led by Pat McDonald and Joshuan McNeal with 15 points each. McNeal recorded a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds. The Muskies hit on 44.6 percent of their shots and outrebounded the Eagles 39-31.

Edgewood College will play their first NACC road game next Wednesday, when they visit the Kern Center and MSOE. The Eagles and Raiders renew their rivalry with a tipoff at 7:00 p.m.