DE PERE - St. Norbert College got a balanced scoring effort and also turned in a strong defensive performance in a 63-43 win over Lakeland University in the Green Knights' Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference debut on Connie Tilley Court at Mulva Family Fitness & Sports Center.

The Green Knights (3-4, 1-0 NACC) had four players reach double figures, with two posting double-doubles. Jessica Boerner and Kaycee Gierczak each had 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Casey Jepson and Emma Morrisey had 10 points apiece.

St. Norbert led 12-8 late in the first quarter before Lakeland went on a 12-2 run to take a 20-14 lead. The Green Knights responded by going on a 14-0 run to take control. Boerner got the run started with a pair of inside baskets, followed by a Chloe Gruszynski layup to knot the game at 20-20. Morrisey canned a jumper followed by a Gierczak layup, another Morrisey jumper and a Boerner layup for a 28-20 lead with 2:40 left. St. Norbert settled on a 30-26 halftime lead.

The Green Knights led 32-29 early in the third quarter and then went on an 8-0 run to take a 40-29 lead with 4:48 left in the period on a Morrisey layup. Gierczak added another hoop at the 3:48 mark for a 45-31 lead as St. Norbert took a 49-38 edge into the fourth quarter.

St. Norbert never led by less than 10 points in the final period, with the Muskies getting to within 53-43 with 4:53 left, but the Green Knights would hold the visitors scorless the rest of the way to build a 20-point margin. Lakeland was held to five fourth-quarter points and made just 1 of 13 field-goal attempts in the period.

The Green Knights, who scored 44 points in the paint, shot 42.6 percent (26-for-61) from the floor. In addition to the scorers in double figures, Olivia DeCleene added seven points, six rebounds and four assists. St. Norbert held a commanding 44-28 rebounding margin.

Lakeland shot 30.8 percent (16-for-52) from the floor. Kerstin Sauerbrei led the Muskies with 12 points.