MADISON, Wis. - The team that really needed a big, late season win to build on will have to settle again for a great effort that came up just short. The Edgewood College men's basketball team battled Lakeland College through regulation and beyond, but left the Edgedome with an 87-83 overtime loss to the Muskies. Spencer Barnes scored a career-high 25 points for the Eagles.
Edgewood College (2-18, 2-13 NACC) trailed the Muskies 36-29 late in the first half, but scored the final five points before halftime, and then the first nine of the second half for a 14-0 run. Adam Freitag hit a three-point basket at the halftime buzzer, and then McClain Steffens started the second half with a conventional three-point play. Barnes and Sy Staver added back-to-back three-pointers for a 43-36 Eagles lead.
However, Lakeland College (12-9, 8-8 NACC) rallied back to tie the game at 64-64 on a Travis Kell free throw with 3:56 left to play. The Eagles didn't relinquish the lead as the two teams traded scores until two free throws by Lakeland's Joshuan McNeal tied the game again at 70-70. The Muskies forced an Eagles turnover, and found Pat McDonald for a go-ahead jumper with 40 seconds to play. However, Barnes hit a tough, 17-foot contested jumper to tie the game again on the next possession. The Muskies got two looks at a game-winning basket on the final possession of regulation, but couldn't connect.
Lakeland's Brandon James hit a three-point shot and a two-point jumper to open the overtime period, but Emil Radisevic scored a layup on a dish from Staver and Barnes drained his fifth three-pointer to tie the game again at 77-77. The Muskies finally gained the lead for good, when Kell rebounded McDonald's missed free throw and stuck it back in for an 82-79 advantage. The Eagles had the ball twice in the final two minutes trailing by just one possession, but Lakeland came up with two steals and Edgewood College was forced to send them to the free throw line. The Muskies made five of their final six free throws to seal the game.
Edgewood College tied the school record they set on Saturday at Aurora, by attempting 39 three-point shots. The Eagles made 13 three-pointers and shot 40 percent from the field. Barnes was 9-for-16 from the field and finished with 25 points and six assists. Freitag had 13 points, including 3-for-6 from the arc, while Radisevic chipped in 12 points. Staver had nine points and a game-high nine assists. The Eagles had 21 assists on 30 made field goals.
Lakeland College had four players in double figures led by McDonald. Kell posted a double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds. McNeal nearly had a double-double of his own with 19 points and nine rebounds. The Muskies owned a 21-10 advantage over the Eagles at the free throw line.
Edgewood College returns to action in the Edgedome on Saturday against Rockford University. The Eagles and Regents tip off at 2:00 as the first half of a doubleheader with the Edgewood College women's basketball team.
