Jan. 2, 2008

SAULT STE. MARIE - The Lake Superior State men's and women's basketball teams start off 2008 with conference home games against Saginaw Valley State on Thursday and Northwood on Saturday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium.

The Laker women's team plays SVSU at 5:30 p.m., and the Laker men's team takes a three-game win streak into Thursday's 7:30 p.m. game against the Cardinals.

On Saturday, both LSSU teams hope to avenge Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opening road losses to Northwood when they play rematches at 1 p.m. (women) and 3 p.m. (men).

All four games will be broadcast live on WSOO 1230-AM and simulcast on www.lssulakers.com. A pay-per-view video feed is available on the B2 Network. From 5:15 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, the LSSU Alumni Association and Superior Physical Therapy are sponsoring Lake State After Hours in Bud Cooper Gym. Lake Superior State alumni and fans can sign up to win a Laker Basketball t-shirt and get free popcorn.

The LSSU men's team, which is 3-7 overall and 2-3 in the GLIAC, has a chance to reach .500 in the league standings when it takes on Saginaw Valley State (5-6 overall, 1-3 GLIAC). The Cardinal men beat Wayne State, 58-55, on Dec. 15, but have lost to Ferris State, Grand Valley State and Hillsdale in league play. LSSU's win streak has included GLIAC victories over Mercyhurst and Ferris State, and the Lakers knocked off previously-undefeated Central State, 86-75, on Dec. 21.

The Laker men are enjoying their first three-game win streak since ending the 2005-06 season with three victories in a row. They have a chance to win four straight for the first time since they won six in a row in 2002-03.

Junior guard Tim VanOudheusden is averaging 13.1 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game to lead the Lakers, who currently have four players regularly scoring in double figures. Junior center Ryan Kuhl is contributing 12.4 ppg and 5.5 rpg, followed by junior guard Mark Morse at 10.4 ppg and sophomore guard Scott Perkins at 10.2 ppg.

Northwood defeated the LSSU men, 72-64, in Midland on Nov. 28. To date, the Timberwolves are 5-5 overall and 2-2 in the GLIAC, and are one of the league's top-three teams in offensive rebounding and defensive field-goal percentage. LSSU rebounders will also have their hands full with SVSU senior Mike Zuiderveen (6-9), who averages 11.8 rebounds per game to lead the GLIAC.

The Northwood women's team (7-4 overall, 3-1 GLIAC) is also off to a good start, including an 81-66 victory over LSSU on Nov. 28. The Lakers and Timberwolves lost to Ferris State in conference action, and posted a victory over St. Joseph's and a loss to Bellarmine during last weekend's GLIAC v. GLVC Challenge held at Northwood. NU is averaging a league-leading 77.1 points per game.

This week's women's games include matchups between three of the league's top-six assist leaders. SVSU junior Tricia Everett is averaging 6.36 assists per game to rank second in the GLIAC in that category, while Northwood junior Sarah Glowacki is third at 5.45 apg and LSSU senior Shalyn Beauchamp is sixth at 4.77 apg. SVSU senior Kara Kinzer leads the league in average three-point field goals per game at 2.73, while NU sophomore Jodi Ostergren leads in offensive rebounds, averaging 4.27 rpg.

The LSSU women's team (5-8 overall, 1-4 GLIAC) has been led by junior Jaclyn Armstrong, who averaged 13.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game as the Lakers finished 2-2 in their last four road games. Armstrong is averaging 11.6 ppg for the season, while Beauchamp is second in scoring at 10.6 ppg.