SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State has tested its comeback potential a few times this season, but bit off more than it could chew after falling behind against the Michigan Tech men's basketball team Thursday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
The Huskies (13-13 overall, 10-11 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) built an early 18-point lead and held on to beat LSSU, 66-62. They snapped the Lakers' seven-game win streak.
Lake Superior State (19-7 overall, 16-5 GLIAC), gunning for its first 20-win season since 1995-96, closes out the regular season at 3 p.m. Saturday against Northern Michigan. The loss did not affect LSSU's home-court advantage for the first round of the GLIAC Tournament.
MTU, which is 4-7 in GLIAC home games and 6-4 on the road, cruised to a 40-24 lead during the first half. LSSU cut the deficit in half during the first five minutes of the second half and closed within two points, 53-51, with 6:08 remaining.
Laker Ryan Kuhl made two free throws at the 4:05 mark and a layup at 3:19 to tie it, 57-57. LSSU committed a turnover during its one chance to take the lead, and Michigan Tech never gave the Lakers another opportunity to go ahead.
Kuhl led LSSU with 18 points, while Tim VanOudheusden followed with 12 points and seven rebounds. Garrett Konuszewski added 11 points.
Robby Springborn scored 11 points in the first half and led MTU with 17. Don Fowler scored 12 points and Mike Hojnacki 11. Fedrick Bowe totaled seven points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies.
Michigan Tech shot 51 percent from the field, including 7-of-15 from three-point range. The Huskies were 9-of-11 at the free-throw line. They shot 55.2 percent from the field during the first half.
Lake Superior State shot 43.4 percent from the field, including 4-of-12 from three-point range, and made 12-of-15 free throws. The Lakers shot 56 percent (14-of-25) in the second half.
Both teams totaled 29 rebounds.