MADISON, Wis. – The Edgewood College men's basketball team is proving to be a tough matchup for the rest of the NACC to handle. The Eagles power inside game duo of Travis Kell and Emil Radisevic combined to shoot 16-for-23 and 42 points in an 86-72 victory over Lakeland University. The Eagles moved over .500 in conference for the first time since they were 2-1 last season.
The day certainly didn't start out well for the Eagles, as Lakeland University (7-5, 4-4 NACC) scored on their first three possessions while Edgewood College (4-7, 4-3 NACC) turned the ball over twice. But Kell got the Eagles on the board, and Sy Staver hit a three-pointer to start and Eagles run. Kell scored eight points and the Eagles made seven of their first nine shots for a 17-2 run and a nine-point lead.
Edgewood College kept the pressure on leading by as many as 15 points after Staver beat the halftime buzzer with a pull-up jumper to give the Eagles a 43-28 lead.
The Eagles appeared to be ready to blow the game open, scoring 10 of the first 13 points of the second half, with six points from Radisevic and four points by Kell. However, the Muskies pulled themselves back within 10 points at 70-60 with a little more than six minutes remaining. However, McClain Steffens hit a three-pointer to ignite an 8-2 run and give the Eagles some breathing room. Kell provided the exclamation point on the game with an emphatic left-handed dunk in the final two minutes.
Kell, who played three seasons for Lakeland University from 2013-16 before transferring from Edgewood College, went 10-for-15 from the field to finish with 23 points. Radisevic was 6-for-8 from the field and 7-for-8 from the line for 19 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Jake Negus hit a pair of three-pointer to finish with 14 points. Staver led the team with six assists, while Kyle Geiger provided a big lift off the bench with seven points on 3-for-4 shooting.
Lakeland University was led by Zach Hasenstein with 17 points, and Carlos Campos with 13 points. Edgewood College held the Muskies to just 4-for-20 shooting from the three-point line.
The victory moved the Eagles up to fourth place in the NACC in a tie with Concordia Wisconsin heading into a non-conference game next Wednesday at Elmhurst College.
