Jan. 3, 2008

SAULT STE. MARIE - The Lake Superior State men's basketball team kept pace with the league's top rebounder, 6-9 senior Mike Zuiderveen, but struggled to convert offensively in a 50-49 loss to Saginaw Valley State on Thursday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium.

LSSU (3-8 overall, 2-4 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) forced Zuiderveen into foul trouble and out-rebounded the Cardinals, 43-41, but shot only 32.1 percent from the field, including 8-of-29 from three-point range.

SVSU (6-6 overall, 2-3 GLIAC) shot a dismal 20 percent from the field in the first half, but improved to 47.8 percent during the final 20 minutes. The Lakers, who led 26-18 at halftime and had a 10-point lead, 41-31, with 6:17 remaining, failed to put the game away.

The Cardinals hit back-to-back three-pointers to trim the lead to four points, 41-37, and Zuiderveen made put-backs at 3:39 and 3:12 to cut it to one, 43-42. Mario Mackey hit a three-pointer at 2:13 to give SVSU its first lead of the game, 45-43.

Scott Perkins, who led LSSU scorers with 21 points, canned a three-pointer with eight seconds remaining and made it a one-possession game. He picked up his fifth foul when he put Mackey at the line, but Mackey missed the front end of the one-and-one. After a Tim VanOudheusden defensive rebound, LSSU guard Garrett Konuszewski went the length of the floor and just missed a reverse layup in traffic.

Ryan Kuhl finished with seven points and a team-high 14 rebounds for LSSU. VanOudheusden had six points and eight rebounds.

Zuiderveen totaled 12 points and 12 prebounds, while SVSU's Lawrence Ross finished with 13 points and nine rebounds.

The Lakers have a chance to avenge an early-season eight-point loss to Northwood when they play host to the Timberwolves at 3 p.m. Saturday.