SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State men's basketball team (0-0) is set to officially open up the 2023-24 campaign in Painesville, Ohio when they take on the host school, the Lake Erie Storm (0-0), and former GLIAC rival, Northwood (0-0), for the G-MAC/GLIAC Challenge on Friday and Saturday.

The Lakers enter the season having been projected to finish seventh in the GLIAC preseason poll, and they will be looking for their returners, highlighted by top returning scorer Xander Okerlund (Empire, Mich.) to fill the shoes left behind after the departures of All-GLIAC First Team performers Kemon Bassett and Caden Ebeling as well as three-time GLIAC All-Defensive Team honoree C.J. Robinson. They will also be looking for new faces to step up and make an impact after bringing in a recruiting class of six newcomers, including a pair of transfers. 

The Storm were projected to place fifth in the G-MAC preseason poll with 107 points. Their previous season came to an end in the G-MAC quarterfinals at the hands of the eventual conference champion Ashland Eagles. The Storm returns their top-three scorers from last season in Jacob Plantz, Jonny Manning, and Jordan Burge.

The Lakers will then face the Northwood Timberwolves for the first time since the Timberwolves departed the GLIAC following the 2021-22 season. The Timberwolves were picked to finish last in the G-MAC, and they will be looking to fill the void after the departure of Savon Wylke, their leading scorer from a year ago and only member of the roster that averaged over double-digit points.