SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State University men's basketball team (5-9, 4-2 GLIAC) fell to the Rangers of Wisconsin-Parkside (12-4, 6-1 GLIAC) by a final score of 78-64 on Thursday. 

Tyson Edmondson (Ypsilanti, Mich.) and C.J. Robinson (Clarkston, Mich.) would each hit a three to open the contest to give the Lakers an early 6-5 lead, but the Rangers would hit a pair of threes of their own to pull out ahead. Caden Ebeling (Shelby Twp., Mich.) was able to seemingly draw fouls at will to keep the Lakers within striking distance at the free throw line, and Robinson closed out the opening half with another three-pointer to get back to within single digits with Parkside leading 36-27 going into the halftime break.

Both teams battled early in the second half, but the Lakers were able to steal the momentum as Kemon Bassett (Detroit, Mich.) powered his way for an and-one to cut the lead down to five. The Rangers would pull back out ahead, but the Lakers would once again fight back with an 11-2 run that was capped off with a Blake Cassidy (Pellston, Mich.) three-pointer. They would continue to press the attack with several baskets from Xander Okerlund (Empire, Mich.) and Kingsley Perkins (Ypsilanti, Mich.), but it would not be enough as Parkside was able to hold on to secure the victory. 

Ebeling led the way offensively with 13 points. Meanwhile, Okerlund led the team in rebounding with seven while Edmondson came away with a pair of blocks on the defensive end of the floor.

The Lakers will look to bounce back on Saturday, Jan. 14 when they take on the Purdue Northwest Pride with tipoff scheduled for 3 p.m.