Watch:
Listen:
Live Stats:
Cullen Maksimowski, LSSULakers.com
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich.— The No.24-ranked Lake Superior State men's basketball team will open 2018 with a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tilt against Davenport Thursday evening (7:30) inside Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
Following a 94-77 loss to non-conference Southern Indiana last Saturday, which snapped an eight-game winning streak, the Lakers are 11-2 overall this season with a perfect 5-0 mark in league play. The Panthers are 9-4, 3-2 on the season.
LSSU enters play with the No.1 scoring offense in the conference averaging 84.5 points per game this season while allowing just 70.2. DU is posting 81.2 points per game and allowing 67.3.
Senior guard Akaemji Williams leads the Lakers and ranks No.3 in the GLIAC in scoring (18.8 PPG) and leads the league assists (6.9 APG). Williams enters Thursday's contest with 587 career assists needing four to break Don Carlson's 590 assist mark (1996) and become LSSU's All-Time leader.
Senior forward Michael Nicholson leads the team on the glass averaging 7.2 boards per contest to go along with a 12.7 scoring average and a league-best 71.4 field goal percentage. Blake Marquardt leads the team and is No.3 in the GLIAC with a 49.4 percentage from behind the arc.
Delano Smith leads the Davenport offense averaging 13.7 points per game. Avery Hudson is second with 11.9.
After Thursday's matchup, the Lakers will continue conference competition traveling to Detroit to take on Wayne State before returning home (Jan.11) for at matchup with Northern Michigan at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are available at the Norris Center Ticket Office or online at lssulakers.com. For additional information call the ticket office at 906-635-2602.