SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – After trailing throughout the first twenty minutes, Lake Superior State men's basketball made a second-half comeback against Grand Valley State University to earn a 71-50 win in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference matchup on Saturday inside Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
Lake Superior State (7-5, 3-3 GLIAC) trailed from the beginning of the game and the Lakers' largest deficit of the game was 16 points with the score 28-12 and under six minutes remaining in the first half. However, Lake State clawed its way back with a 20-10 run to cut Grand Valley State's (9-5, 3-3 GLIAC) lead to six points at halftime.
In the second half, Lake State continued its momentum and outscored Grand Valley 53-34 to earn the win. Lake Superior State took the lead for good on a three-pointer by junior guard Malek Adams with about 15 minutes remaining. Grand Valley pulled within one point of Lake State with the score 55-54 and around 11 minutes remaining, but LSSU went on a 30-18 run to seal the 85-72 come-from-behind victory.
Sophomore forward Rog Stein garnered his fourth double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Stein went 8-of-10 from the free throw line and he also dished out four assists.
Senior guard Tim Cairnduff and redshirt sophomore Jackson Schrameyer scored 21 and 18 points, respectively. Schrameyer shot 4-of-6 from the field and was 9-of-10 from the free throw line, while Cairnduff shot 7-of-12 overall, including 2-of-5 from three-point range. Cairnduff also made five of his six free throw attempts.
Lake Superior State shot 44.8 percent from the field, including a torrid 65.2 percent performance in the second half. Grand Valley shot 45.6 percent in the game, but Lake State held GVSU to 40 percent shooting and one made three-pointer in the second half.
LSSU had the advantage at the free throw line – converting 26-of-31 (83.9 percent) free throw attempts compared to 13-of-23 (56.5 percent) by GVSU.
Lake State continues GLIAC play with a pair of road games next week. The Lakers face Northern Michigan University on Thursday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Michigan Tech University on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 3 p.m.
Their next home game is on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. when the Lakers host Wisconsin-Parkside in a conference matchup in Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
Tickets are available online or in-person at the LSSU ticket office. For additional ticket information, call (906) 635-2602. Children ages 13 and under are admitted to all Laker basketball games free of charge.
Be sure to follow the Lakers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more information and behind-the-scenes action.
Watch head coach Steve Hettinga's postgame interview below.