SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Wayne State University men's basketball team (0-5 overall, 0-2 GLIAC) was tied three times in the second half with Lake Superior State University (5-1 overall, 2-0 GLIAC) on Saturday before a late 17-2 run by the Lakers dealt the Warriors a 76-61 setback.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Warriors had five turnovers and missed three field goal attempts in the first 4:45 of the game and fell behind 9-0.
 
A bucket by sophomore Chuck Key (Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech) ended the scoreless drought and started a 10-3 run by WSU to cut the deficit to two (12-10).  Key totaled six points during the spurt, while sophomores Marcus Moore (Lansing, Mich. / Waverly) and Ronald Booth (Detroit, Mich. / Consortium) each chipped in a pair of points.
 
The host Lakers increased their advantage to eight (19-11) with a 7-0 run as the Warriors went over seven minutes without making a field goal.
 
Wayne State answered with its own 7-0 spurt with Booth draining a triple, junior Michael Lewis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) making a pair from the foul line and sophomore Tristan Wilson (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Skyline) adding a dunk to start the run.
 
The Warriors pulled within one (21-20) on a lay-up by junior Joel Ndondo (Ajax, Ont.) but the Lakers responded with a 7-1 run to grab a 28-21 lead.
 
WSU only trailed by six (32-26) at halftime thanks to solid free throw shooting as the Warriors made 10-of-20 in the opening 20 minutes.  LSSU led in field goal percentage (40% - 12-of-30) compared to Wayne State's 28 percent (7-of-25).  Despite the Warriors holding a 23-14 edge in rebounding, 13 turnovers for WSU led to five less field goal attempts.
 
The Warriors began the second half on an 8-2 run and knotted the game at 34 on a pair of foul shots by Booth.  A lay-up by Ndondo gave WSU its only lead of the game (38-37).  Wayne State was able to tie the game twice more (40-40 and 47-47), before the Lakers went on a 17-2 run in just over a six minute span to take a 64-49 lead with just over five minutes remaining.
 
WSU LEADERS
Booth had his second consecutive 20-plus point effort tallying 24 points, including 11-of-12 from the foul line.  Moore and Lewis each contributed eight points with Key, Moore and Lewis tying for the team-high in rebounding with six boards each.
 
TEAM STATS RECAP
WSU shot 31 percent (17-of-55) from the floor compared to 47 percent (26-of-55) for Lake Superior.
 
The Lakers made seven triples in 24 attempts (29 percent), while the Warriors connected on four of eight from long range (50 percent).
 
Wayne State was superb at the charity stripe making 89 percent (23-of-26) with LSSU shooting 77 percent (17-of-22) from the foul line.

The Warriors did win the battle of the boards, 41-30, including 16 offensive rebounds.
 
LEADING THE OPPOSITION
Devin Daly recorded game-high totals of 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lakers.  Akaemji Williams and Michael Nicholson contributed 18 and 16 points, respectively, along with tying for game-high assist honors with five helpers apiece.
 
UP NEXT
Wayne State will begin a three-game homestand on Thursday, Dec. 10 with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off against GLIAC rival Northern Michigan.  The game will be televised live on Comcast/CN 900 with Sean Baligian, Rod Beard and Joe Abramson calling the action.