Dec. 8, 2007

SAULT STE. MARIE - A Lake Superior State defense that had been giving up 78 points per game this season held Mercyhurst to its second-lowest point total of the year to win Saturday's Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball game, 80-59.

It was the first win of the year for LSSU and the inaugural victory for Laker first-year coach Steve Hettinga. The Lakers are 1-7 overall and 1-3 in the GLIAC heading into next Saturday's home game against Ferris State. Mercyhurst dropped to 4-5 overall and 1-2 in league play.

Lake Superior State dominated the first half, building an 18-point lead thanks to a 10-2 run midway through the first half and a 10-3 run late in the half. Tim VanOudheusden had 10 points and Ryan Kuhl eight as the Lakers led 42-26 at intermission.

Mercyhurst scored the first four points of the second half to cut the lead to 42-30. Four minutes later, Scott Perkins hit a three-pointer at 14:28 to spark a six-point LSSU run for a 58-39 lead.

Mercyhurst closed within 11, 63-52, with 6:20 to go. This time, Lake State answered with an 10-4 scoring sput that included two field goals by Kuhl and a three-pointer by VanOudheusden. LSSU's Mark Morse made a three-pointer with 2:20 remaining, and VanOudheusden added a jumnper at 1:36 to give the Lakers their biggest lead of the game, 78-56.

VanOudheusden and Perkins led LSSU with 17 points each, while Kuhl had 15, Morse 11, Mike Rader nine and Micah Hudson eight. Morse added four assists and three steals.

VanOudheusden also led the Lakers in rebounds with nine, and Perkins followed with five. LSSU out-rebounded Mercyhurst, 36-30, and shot 53.6 percent from the field. Lake Superior State made 10-of-16 free throws and 10-of-17 three-point attempts

Mercyhurst shot 40 percent from the field, making 8-of-27 from three-point range. MC was 3-for-6 at the line.