SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State men's basketball team recorded a win on Senior Day by a final score of 82-66 against the Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) game on Saturday, Feb. 8 in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
After the first 20 minutes of play, the Lakers held a 38-36 lead over the Cardinals. The opening few minutes of action saw limited scoring as the teams were tied at two with four minutes played. Xander Okerlund would put Lake State ahead 5-4 when he sunk a three-point jump shot at 15:28. Freshman Nigel Colvin would score his first points of the game at 12:28 of the first when he made a three pointer to bring the Lakers within two points of tying the game (12-10).
Just before the midpoint of the opening half, the Lakers would add another three points, this time from Brandon Allen to put the score at 17-15 with 10 minutes played.
Saginaw would build upon the lead in the next stretch of action, as the Cardinals held a seven point lead (26-19) with 6:09 to go in the first half. Okerlund's three point basket seconds later brought the Lakers back within four points (26-22).
In the last 3:36, the Lakers would feed off of Colvin as he scored 10 of the 12 Laker points in that span which included three three pointers. Lake State outscored the Cardinals 12-3 to wrap up the first half, giving the home team a 38-36 advantage heading into the second half.
The Lakers strong play would continue into the second half. The Cardinals would tie the game at 38 within the first minute of play but the duo of Colvin and Ke'Montrece Collins would combine to regain a five point lead in the next minute. With only four minutes played in the second half, the Lakers built a 10 point lead over their GLIAC rivals, in part to another five points from Colvin.
Following the 12 minute mark when the Cardinals came within five points of the Lakers, the home squad would answer with a run of 11 points to go ahead 65-49, by 16 points.
In the last seven minutes, the Lakers would lock down defensively to keep Saginaw from coming back to clinch the win by a final score of 82-66.
Colvin finished the game with a team-high 24 points in the victory as he went 9-for-14 in the effort. Colvin added four rebounds as well as a pair of assists. Collins ranked second on the team in points with 14 while adding a team-high 10 rebounds, nine of which came defensively. C.J. Robinson led the Lakers in assists with six in the conference win.
Up Next
Next weekend, the Lakers will host their Upper Peninsula rivals in the Ronald "Bud" Cooper Gymnasium on Thursday, Feb. 13th at 7:30pm against Northern Michigan and Saturday, Feb. 15th at 3:00pm against Michigan Tech.
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