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Muskies hopeful third times the charm in NAC Tournament semi-final


Athletics - posted on 2/22/2012

With a 20-win season under its belt, the Lakeland College men's basketball team pursues the chance to play in the Northern Athletics Conference Tournament championship game when they face No. 1 seed Concordia University Wisconsin in the semifinals tomorrow.

The fifth-seeded Muskies (20-6) and the Falcons (21-5) will square off for the third time this season, and Lakeland is hopeful the third time is the charm. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. in the R. John Buuck Fieldhouse in Mequon, Wis.

Lakeland dropped two heartbreaking losses to the North Division Champions, including a 106-102 double overtime loss on Feb. 8. Falcons standout Luke Doedens hit a running 3-pointer to send the game into overtime. Doedens also hit a pair of free throws with two seconds left as CUW edged Lakeland, 70-69, on Jan. 17. His clutch free throws snapped Lakeland's five-game win streak.

Doedens leads CUW with 16.5 points per game, which is fifth in the NAC, and he shoots 44.4 percent from 3-point range. As a team, the Falcons average 77.3 points per game, which is second behind Lakeland's up-tempo style.

Senior Josh Regal, junior Jake Schwarz and sophomore Justin Ward will help lead the Muskies, who look to snap the Falcons' seven-game winning streak. Ward posted a double-double performance with 24 points and 10 rebounds and a pair of big buckets late to lift the team past Concordia University Chicago in a 68-62 thriller in the NAC quarterfinals on Tuesday in River Forest, Ill.

Defensively, the Cougars held Lakeland, sixth in the nation in scoring offense at 90.2 points per game, 22 points below its average, and held Schwarz, eighth in the nation in scoring at 24.7 points per game, to seven points.

The Muskies hope to push up the tempo Thursday night and make their goal of winning a NAC Tournament Championship one step closer to reality.

Live video streaming with commentary is available for tomorrow's game and can be found here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cuw-falcons

Live stats are also available and can be found here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46422793/XLIVE.HTM

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