SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State University men's basketball team (11-12, 10-5 GLIAC) pulled away in the second half for a dominant 76-59 victory over the visiting Wayne State Warriors (7-14, 4-10 GLIAC) on Saturday. 

An early three from Caden Ebeling (Shelby Twp., Mich.) helped the Lakers get off to a fast 7-0 start, but the Warriors answered right back with a 7-0 run of their own to tie the game. Blake Cassidy (Pellston, Mich.) would then hit a three to put the Lakers back up by five, but once again, the Warriors responded. Both teams continued to answer one another blow for blow throughout the remainder of the opening half, but after grinding their way to the free throw line late, the Lakers found themselves leading 29-28 going into the halftime break.

The Lakers came out swinging to open the second half with an 11-2 run that was capped off with back-to-back threes from Xander Okerlund (Empire, Mich.) to go up by double-digits. Ebeling would then go on a 7-2 run by himself to continue pressing the attack, and the Lakers followed that up with another 7-0 run that extended the lead to a twenty point margin. The Warriors kept fighting, but a three from David Wren (Ypsilanti, Mich.) proved to be the dagger as the Lakers secured the 76-59 victory after a dominant second half performance.

Okerlund led the way offensively with 20 points, including five three-pointers, and Kemon Bassett (Detroit, Mich.) was not far behind with 19 points of his own while also leading the team in rebounding with nine. Meanwhile, Ebeling and Wren also each finished scoring double-figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. 

The Lakers return to action on Saturday, Feb. 18 when they host the Ferris State Bulldogs for Senior Day inside Bud Cooper Gymnasium with tipoff scheduled for 3 p.m.