SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State women's basketball team will travel to Hillsdale, Mich. for the team's final nonconference game of the season against the Hillsdale Chargers on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 2:00 p.m. at the Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena. Through the first three games of the 2021-22 season, the Lakers hold a 2-1 overall record.
Last Time Out
Last weekend, the Lakers played a single nonconference game against the Ursuline College Arrows, and fell by a final score of 88-62. The Lakers were led by freshman guard CeCe Hacker who scored a career-high 18 points in the game. Hacker went 6-for13 in the game, including a team-leading three three-pointers against the Arrows. The first-year player made all three free throws she took in the game while also sharing the team-lead in both rebounds (6) and assists (5).
Junior guard Margot Woughter also posted a double-digit point total against Ursuline as she totaled 14 points in the game. Woughter shared the team-lead with Hacker with five assists.
The Lakers finished the game with a 41.1 shooting percentage, going 23-for-56 in the game. On the other end of the floor, the Arrows went 30-for-61 in the game to total a 49.2 shooting percentage. Ursuline outrebounded the Lakers in the game, 31-29.
Team Leaders
Through the first two games of the 2021-22 season, the Lakers are led offensively by the trio of Mattison Rayman, Mackenzie Bray and Margot Woughter as all three average double digit point per game totals. Bray leads the team with 12.3 points per game while Rayman ranks second with 11.7 and Woughter rounds out the top three (10.7 ppg).Bray has posted an impressive 72.2 shooting percentage through the first three games of the season and a 75.0% mark from three to lead the Lakers in each stat. Bray leads the GLIAC in field goal percentage and ranks second in three point percentage. Rayman's 10.0 rebounds per game leads the Lakers and ranks second among all GLIAC players in the category this season.
2020-21 Recap
Last season, the Lakers played a conference-only schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the abbreviated schedule, the Lakers combined for an 1-18 record, which led the team to a 12th place finish in the GLIAC. LSSU averaged 57.3 points per game on a 36.6 field goal percentage. The team finished the season with 27.2 three-point percentage, and averaged 31.1 rebounds per game during the 19 game season.
For her play during the 2020-21 season, sophomore forward Mattison Rayman was named Second Team All-GLIAC. Rayman led the Lakers in her second season with the team with 13.3 points per game on a 47.0 shooting percentage. At the close of the GLIAC regular season, Rayman ranked ninth in the conference in points per game. Her 7.4 rebounds per game, which included 5.1 defensive rebounds per game, led the Lakers and was fourth best in the GLIAC.
Preparing for the New Season
The Lakers are led by Brandon Lokken, is in his fifth season in the role, while assistant coach Allison Todd begins her third season with the Lakers.
The team will look to a number of upperclassmen to help lead the Lakers after coming off a challenging 2020-21 season as the team felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Junior forward Mattison Rayman will be the driving force behind the Lakers after coming off a great sophomore season. Senior forward Makenzie Bray will be looked upon by Coach Lokken after a solid season for the Lakers last year while junior guard Margot Woughter will play a big role for the Lakers after missing most of last season with an injury.
Lake Superior State will also look for contributions from sophomore guard Jaden Wilder, sophomore guard Jozie Bontrager, and junior guard Carson Nitz. The team will have one newcomer this season, CeCe Hacker, a freshman guard from Omaha, Neb. Hacker is coming off a senior season where she averaged 15.3 points per game on a 42.0 shooting percentage and received Second Team All-State honors.
Hillsdale College Chargers
The Hillsdale College Chargers, a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) based in Hillsdale, Mich., are coming off a 4-17 showing during the conference-only 2020-21 season. The Chargers have played four games so far this season, posting a 1-3 overall record. The team is coming off an 81-69 win over Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday, Nov. 20. Hillsdale is led by senior guard Grace Touchette who leads the team with 16.8 points per game on a 41.8 shooting percentage and a 31.3 mark from beyond the arc. Junior forward Arianna Sysum (12.0) and freshman guard Caitlin Splain (11.0) round out the top three scorers for the Chargers this season. Junior forward Sydney Mills leads her team in both rebounds per game (10.8). Hillsdale is led by head coach Charlie Averkamp, who is in his second season in the role.
Up Next
The Lakers will open conference play on Thursday, Dec. 2 as the team hosts the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers to open the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) season. The Lakers and Rangers will tipoff at 5:30 p.m. in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
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