SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State men's basketball team will host the Northwood University Timberwolves in the opening round of the 2021 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Basketball Tournament on Tuesday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m.. The Lakers, who are the No. 8 seed in the tournament, will face off against the No. 9 seeded Timberwolves in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
Due to COVID-19 related changes in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) scheduling process for the 2021 season, the format for the 2021 Basketball Tournament will allow all 12 teams to participate. However, two teams will be unavailable for the tournament due to COVID-19 protocols. The opening round will take place at campus sites, with the advancing teams traveling to Purdue Northwest who will host the remainder of the Tournaments at both their Hammond and Westville campuses.
The Lakers
Lake Superior State, the No. 8 seed in tomorrow's meeting, finished the regular season with an 8-10 overall record through the 18-game GLIAC season. Last weekend, the Lakers played a road series against a tough Ashand team and dropped both games to the Eagles, by scores of 78-60 and 84-73.
Heading into the first game of the playoffs, the Lakers have been led by a mix of returning players and new faces. Three Lakers are averaging 10 or more points per game. Forward Kemon Bassett, a junior transfer from Schoolcraft Community College, leads the team with 15.7 points per game and ranks second in rebounds per game with 7.4. Bassett's 54.1 shooting percentage leads the Lakers and ranks fourth in the GLIAC. Heading into the game against the Timberwolves, Bassett ranks ninth among all GLIAC players in both points per game and rebounds.
Redshirt senior Malek Adams has averaged 14.1 points per game for the Lakers to rank second on the team. Adams has had an especially strong second half of the season for the Lakers as the guard has scored 14 or more points in eight straight games. Against the Northwood Timberwolves on Feb. 13, Adams posted a season-best 28 point game. The guard ranks third on the team in three point percentage (39.8%) this season and has recorded two or more three pointers in six consecutive contests.
David Wren, a junior guard who also played two seasons at Schoolcraft, has also made an impact with his new team this season as he rounds out the Lakers top three scorers this season with an average of 13.3 points per game. Through 18 games, Wren has recorded a 43.8 shooting percentage from three and a 48.6 mark in field goals. Wren has posted double-figures in 15 of 18 games this season and enters the game against the Timberwolves coming off an 18-point game at Ashland.
Junior Justin Fischer (9.1 points per game) and sophomore C.J. Robinson (6.6 points per game) have been heavily relied on by Coach Hettinga this season as they rank first and second on the team in minutes per game. Robinson leads the Lakers with an average of 32.3 minutes per game on the floor while also recording a team-best 2.9 assists per game. Fischer averages 30.7 minutes of playing time each game while also leading the team in rebounds (7.8) and tying Robinson for the team-lead in assists per game (29). With a 51.7 shooting percentage this season, Fischer ranks eighth in the category in the GLIAC while also ranking in the top ten in rebounds (fifth) among all GLIAC players.
As a team, the Lakers offense is combining for 74.7 points per game this season, which ranks second among all GLIAC teams, on a 46.0 shooting percentage and a 35.4 percentage from three. Lake Superior has recorded an average of 32.6 rebounds per game this season.
The Season Series
The Lakers and the Timberwolves played a two-game series against each other on Feb. 12-13 in Midland, Mich. with the GLIAC opponents posting a split. The Lakers won the first game, by a final score of 80-60 and Northwood would respond with a 86-70 win in the second meeting.
Scouting the Timberwolves
Northwood will travel to Sault Ste. Marie, as the No. 9 seed in the opening round of the GLIAC Tournament. The Timberwolves are led by head coach Lonnie Griffin, who is in his first season in the role at Northwood. Griffin and the Timberwolves finished the regular season with a 6-12 record.
Most recently, the Timberwolves played Grand Valley State in a home series and dropped both games, by final scores of 98-69 and 67-51.
The Timberwolves are led by junior guard Jack Ammerman who has started all 18 games for Northwood this season, and averages 16.3 points per game. Ammerman, who ranks sixth in the GLIAC in points per game, leads the Timberwolves in minutes per game (33.4). Ammerman has totaled a 48.8 shooting percentage and a 44.2 percentage from three this season. In all but one game this season, Ammerman has recorded 10 or more points and his season best came on Feb. 13 against the Lakers (27 points).
Senior guard Evan Lowden has had a strong season for the Timberwolves with 12.5 points per game on a 53.5 shooting percentage and a three point percentage of 38.2. Lowden, who ranks second on the team with 29.9 minutes per game, leads the Timberwolves in rebounds with 6.0 per game.
As a team, the Timberwolves offense is combining for 66.3 points per game this season on a 50.0 shooting percentage and a 33.7 percentage from three. Northwood has recorded an average of 30.7 rebounds per game this season.
Follow the Lakers
Due to State of Michigan, GLIAC and Lake Superior State University mandates, fans are not currently permitted to attend any Laker sporting events. Even though spectators cannot currently attend Laker home games, there are still a number of ways that fans will be able to follow the game action. All Laker home games during the 2021 season will be available to watch live on Stretch TV. For more information or to sign up for a subscription, visit https://portal.stretchinternet.com/lssu/. Fans can also tune in to the radio broadcast on ESPN 1400, the official radio station of Laker basketball.
For more information, visit lssulakers.com
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