SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - On the strength of hot shooting and a smothering defense, Lake Superior State claimed a 90-47 victory over Wayne State on Saturday in the final Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season home game for the LSSU.
The Lakers (15-9, 12-8 GLIAC) shot a blistering 55.4 percent from the field and 52.2 percent mark from three-point range, led by senior guard Jordan Dasuqi who went six-for-eight behind the arc. Dasuqi, playing his final regular season home game inside Cooper Gymnasium, led the Lakers with 18 points.
A native of Clarkston, Michigan, Dasuqi opened the contest with three consecutive three-pointers made, following a game-opening layup by junior Michael Nicholson to propel the Lakers on a 13-2 run during the game's first five minutes.
A dominant defensive effort by the Lakers in the first half helped build a 45-16 lead at the halftime break. The Warriors (15-9, 12-8 GLIAC) made only 7-of-25 shots from the field and went 0-for-7 in the first half while committing 10 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes. LSSU closed the first half with a 57.1 percent mark from the field and went 5-for-10 behind the arc.
The Lakers mirrored their first half score during the final 20 minutes, once again shooting higher than 50 percent from the field and behind the three-point line. LSSU, employing a full bevy of players down the stretch with the game no longer in doubt, continued their explosive shooting with a 15-28 mark from the field and 7-for-13 clip from three.
LSSU led by as much as 47 with 1:45 remaining and never trailed in the contest.
Senior Michael Smutny led the reserves with seven points and two rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench as the Lakers outscored WSU, 31-17, in bench points. Junior Jessy Cantinol added six points while Tim Cairnduff, Ke'Montrece Collins and Blake Marquardt each added five points in extended reserve duty. Freshman guard Malek Adams netted a three-pointer and collected two steals in 17 minutes of work.
Rounding out the LSSU starters, junior guard Josh Goldschmidt put together a strong effort with 15 points, six rebounds, and three steals. The Maple Grove, Minn., native went 5-for-6 from both the field and at the free-throw line and collected a steal and a block defensively.
Junior guard Akaemji Williams chipped in 10 points, seven assists and registered five steals in the contest. Nicholson and Carson Manger each added eight points.
Chuck Key led the Warriors as the only player to reach double digits in scoring with 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor.
The Lakers controlled the glass with a 36-28 margin and forced the Warriors into 16 turnovers with 13 steals. The Warriors missed all 15 attempts behind the three-point arc and finished the game 18-for-56 from the field (32.1 percent).
The victory moves the Lakers into a tie for second place in the GLIAC North Division with the Warriors, Grand Valley State and Michigan Tech. With the win, the Lakers also clinched a berth into the GLIAC Tournament.
LSSU concludes the regular season on Thursday evening in Midland, taking on Northwood at 7 p.m. ET.
