Box Score La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team opened its 2015-16 home season with a 63-55 victory over Lakeland College (Wis.) Monday night in Mitchell Hall.  The Eagles improve to 1-1 on the season while the Muskies drop to 0-1.  UWL now leads the all-time series, 8-3, with Lakeland (Wis.).

The first half featured six lead changes.  UWL led 15-13 with 9:08 remaining in the first half after Lakeland's (Wis.) Tanner Hackl hit a jumper.  UWL scored the next six points to lead 22-13 with 6:05 left in the opening half.   The Eagles led 26-17 with 4:22 remaining on a Devin Yurk layup, but the Muskies scored the next six points to cut the margin to 26-23 on a Joshuan McNeal jumper.  UWL responded with a 8-1 run to lead 34-24 with 1:46 left as Yurk scored six of the Eagles' eight points.  UWL led 34-26 at halftime.

UWL never trailed in the second half.  The Eagles led 35-31 with 18:13 remaining when they went on a 10-0 run to take their largest lead of the game at 45-31 with 14:43 left.  UWL led 53-43 with 5:23 remaining before Brandon Hangenow scored the next four points of the game for Lakeland (Wis.) to cut it to 53-47 with 4:47 left.  The Muskies cut the lead to 56-52 with 2:13 left on a pair of Pat McDonald free throws, but Lakeland (Wis.) could get no closer the rest of the game. 

A three-point play from Ben Meinholz gave UWL a 59-52 advantage with :35 remaining and Lakeland (Wis.) missed four straight shots from the field.  Clint Rihn four free throws in the final :18. 

UWL shot 40.0% from the field, including 28.6% (four-of-14) from three-point range, and 65.5% (19-of-29) at the free throw line.  Yurk finished with a game-high 19 points for the Eagles, going six-of-13 from the field, including one-of-four from three-point range, and six-of-seven at the line.  He also added six rebounds. Sean Wheeler scored eight points off the bench for UWL while Austin Fritz finished with six points and a team-high eight rebounds.  Rihn had a game-high four steals. 

Lakeland (Wis.) shot 30.0% from the field, including 23.1% (three-of-13) from three-point range, and 66.7% (16-of-24) at the line.  McDonald totaled a team-high 11 points for the Muskies with Hackl finishing with 10 points and team-high eight rebounds.  Hangenow and Zach Van Engen finished with eight points. 

UWL returns to action Friday, November 20 hosting Hope College (Mich.) at 7 p.m.