Chicago, Ill — Men's Basketball faced a tough 107-103 loss to Lakeland University on Wednesday night at Keating Sports Center in overtime. Despite trailing by nine at the break, the Scarlet Hawks rallied with a remarkable 54-point second half, but it wasn't enough to counter the Muskies' overtime surge. Illinois Tech now holds a 5-14 overall record with a 3-9 standing in NACC play, while the Muskies sit at 7-12 overall and 5-7 in the conference.
How It Happened
The game kicked off with a tightly contested first half, full of lead changes. Lakeland's Jaxson Dillon made an early impact, sinking free throws and a three-pointer at 15:13, giving the visitors an edge.
Nicolas Ortiz kept Illinois Tech in the game with reliable free-throw shooting, leveling the score at 11 after a layup and an assist from
John Davis III at the 12-minute mark. However, as the half wound down, the Muskies' Peyton Mrotek and Emmitt Konieczny pushed their lead to 44-35 by halftime.
The second half was an intense back-and-forth. Lakeland stretched their lead with a three from Max Justic at 19:48, quickly followed by free throws. Illinois Tech answered back with a layup by
Isaiah Dudley at 17:21, assisted by
Garrison Carter, closing the gap. The Scarlet Hawks tied it up at 81 with 1:57 left, thanks to a fast-break layup by Carter. Lakeland's Asanjai Hunter hit a clutch three-pointer at 1:33 to regain the lead. Even though Illinois Tech tied it at 89 with a last-second layup from Davis, the Muskies held on for a dramatic finish.
Scarlet Hawk Standouts
Isaiah Dudley
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- 31 points
- 11/15 field goals
- 9/12 free throws
- 3 steals
Nicolas Ortiz
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- 25 points
- 7/16 field goals
- 11/12 free throws
Garrison Carter
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- 25 points
- 9/22 field goals
- 5/5 free throws
- 6 rebounds
John Davis III
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- 16 points
- 7/10 field goals
- 8 rebounds
- 5 assists
Lakeland Top Performers
Jaxson Dillon
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- 36 points
- 13/18 free throws
- 3 three-pointers
- 2 steals
Peyton Mrotek
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- 22 points
- 13 rebounds
- 2 blocks
Asanjai Hunter
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- 19 points
- 2 steals
- 2 assists
Max Justic
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- 16 points
- 6/9 free throws
- 3 steals
Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech's record against Lakeland now stands at 8-6.
- Team hit a season-high with 103 points.
- Dudley scored a career-high 31 points.
- Ortiz notched a career-high 25 points.
Up Next
Illinois Tech will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 31, as they host Wisconsin Lutheran College at 3:15 p.m. at Keating Sports Center in Chicago.
