Lake Superior State Sweeps NMU Basketball Teams
Men's Game Recap Written by Lake Superior State Athletics
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State men's basketball team earned an 82-68 win against the Northern Michigan Wildcats on Thursday, Feb. 13 in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
Northern Michigan grabbed an early five point lead over the Lakers in the opening minute and a half of play. Nigel Colvin opened the scoring for the Lakers as he made a three-point jump shot to bring the score to 5-3. At 14:51 of the first half, C.J. Robinson made a three-point basket to bring the Lakers within three points (11-8).
By the halfway point, the Wildcats held a four point lead over the Lakers (19-15) but the Lakers would tie the game in the next few minutes. Northern Michigan scored the next seven points to take a 26-19 lead with 7:20 left in the opening half. Colvin would score the Lakers next six points to bring the Lakers back within a point with 5:30 left to play.
In the final minutes, Colvin made a three-pointer to put the Lakers up 35-31 with 3:17 and Justin Fischer would cap off the Lakers scoring in the half, as the home team led by a score of 37-34 at the half.
Ke'Montrece Collins put the Lakers up by six points to start the second half (40-34) and would score the next four Laker points to ignite a scoring run for the home squad. 15 straight points from the Lakers in the following three minutes of play (55-39) would give the team a 16 point cushion over the Wildcats. By the midpoint of the half, the Lakers still held an 11 point advantage over Northern (63-52).
In the last 10 minutes of play, the Lakers were able to hold onto the lead to take the game by a final score of 82-68 over the Wildcats. The Lakers posted a 55.6 shooting percentage in the game compared to Northern's 39.3 shooting percentage.
Collins finished the game with 20 points to lead the team while Colvin (18 points) and Okerlund (15 points) each had strong efforts as well. Collins and Fischer were tied for the team lead in rebounds with eight while Robinson led the Lakers with seven assists.
For NMU, Myles Howard picked up another double-double on the night, posting 11 points and a team-best 15 rebounds while adding three assists to his game total. Matelski was the team-leader in points with his 17 on the night.
Women's Game Recap Written by Lake Superior State Athletics
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State women's basketball team earned a 59-54 win over the Northern Michigan Wildcats on Thursday, Feb. 13 in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) clash in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
The Lakers pulled ahead by one point at 7:21 of the first quarter when Lexie Khon scored her second layup of the game (6-5). The Wildcats would answer with a three pointer but Claire Radtke would match that with her first three-point jump shot of the night to put the Lakers back in the lead (9-8).
With 2:45 remaining in the opening quarter, the Lakers pulled ahead by six points as Khon made a three-pointer to put the score at 18-12. By the end of the first, Northern would narrow the lead to one point as the Lakers held a 18-17 advantage after the first ten minutes of play.
Khon would continue her strong first half as she made a jump shot in the opening seconds of the second half to extend the Lakers lead to three points (20-17).
Abigail Ostman recorded a layup in the next scoring play to give the Lakers a five point score advantage. The Wildcats would control play in the next stretch as the visitors scored the next seven straight points to take a two point lead with 3:39 left in the first half (24-22).
But the Lakers would respond to close out the final three minutes, taking back the lead when Mattison Rayman made a three point jump shot. Ostman and Rebecca Villaneuva would combine for six points to lead 31-24 after the first two quarters.
To open the third quarter, Mattison Rayman made a layup to give the Lakers a nine point lead (33-24). Through the middle of the third quarter, the Wildcats would answer with a seven point streak, cutting the Lakers lead to two points. After the game was tied at 38 with 2:55 left in the third, the Lakers and the Wildcats would trade free throw attempts.
The quarter would end with Northern hitting a three point shot to head into the fourth quarter with a one point lead (43-42).
Northern took a one point lead one minute into the fourth quarter, but the Lakers would score nine consecutive points. The Lakers held a 54-45 lead with 5:35 left in the final quarter.
With just over a minute left in the game, the Lakers held a three point lead over the Wildcats. The Lakers would hold on for the win as Khon capped off the game's scoring with her 20th point of the game.
Khon sits at 997 career points following the game, as she led the Lakers with 20 in the win. Khon also led the Lakers with eight rebounds.
Makaylee Kuhn led all Wildcats in points with 16 and rebounds with six.
