The Lake Superior State University Lakers men's basketball team opened up their home basketball season Monday afternoon, beating Grace Christian at the Bud Cooper Gymnasium 102-66.
The Lakers first GLIAC Division game is Dec. 1 home against Davenport.
The Lakers are projected to finish third in the GLIAC Preseason Poll. They look to improve upon last season's 16-11 overall record and 11-9 mark in the conference.
The Game report from Lake State follows:
The Lake Superior State men's basketball program (1-2) defeated the Tigers of Grace Christian University (4-4) in dominant fashion by a final score of 102-66 on Monday.
The Tigers struck first with a three point-shot from the wing, but Tyson Edmondson (Ypsilanti, Mich.) responded with a three ball of his own to tie up the score. The Lakers would then pull ahead with a 6-0 run behind a pair of layups from Kemon Bassett (Detroit, Mich.), but the Tigers answered back by tying the game at 9-9. C.J. Robinson (Clarkston, Mich.) would then draw a foul while shooting from the corner for three free throws to help the Lakers push back out in front again. Grace Christian was once again able to tie the score up at 17-17, but the Lakers put their foot on the gas after a media timeout, with an and-one from Caden Ebeling (Shelby Twp., Mich.) propelling his team to a 12-0 run. After trading a few points, a Xander Okerlund (Empire, Mich.) three helped to extend the lead out to 39-22 by kicking off another Laker run, and they would carry their lead into the end of the half, going into the locker room leading 46-32.
Both teams battled early in the second half with the Tigers cutting to within nine, but the Lakers responded in force with a 14-2 run that was capped off with back-to-back three-pointers from Andy Soma (Traverse City, Mich.) to push the lead out to 65-44. Lake State continued to press the attack, this time with an 11-1 run featuring multiple made baskets from David Wren (Ypsilanti, Mich.), and they would go on another run of 11-2 shortly thereafter with threes from Devin Womack (Ypsilanti, Mich.) and Soma, to go up 91-54, a 37-point advantage. Drew Hess (Oscoda, Mich.) would then cap off the high scoring afternoon for the Lakers with back-to-back threes to help secure the Lakers first official victory of the season by a final score of 102-66.
Ebeling led the way offensively with 16 points, and Bassett and Soma each finished with 12 points of their own. Meanwhile, Edmondson and Okerlund would make it five different Lakers to reach double-digit scoring with 11 points each. Kingsley Perkins (Ypsilanti, Mich.) finished with eight rebounds while Robinson also added six assists with both marks leading all players.
As a team, the Lakers shot an impressive 63 percent from the field with a 50 percent mark from beyond the arc, and they outrebounded the Tigers 38-22.
The Lakers will now turn their attention to the Eracism Invitational, hosted by St. Michaels in Colchester, Vt. with the tipoff for their first game of the classic scheduled for Friday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. against Saint Rose.
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)