SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State seniors Ryan Kuhl and Tim VanOudheusden are getting a second shot at the nationally-ranked Michigan State Spartans.

The Laker men's basketball team opens its season with an exhibition game at 7 p.m. Monday at MSU. The Spartans are ranked sixth in the Associated Press Pre-Season Poll and seventh in the USA Today/ESPN Poll. After losing an exhibition contest to Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference representative Grand Valley State in 2007-08, they gave history no chance of repeating itself and beat fellow GLIAC opponent Northern Michigan, 118-57, Wednesday.

"Grand Valley didn't do us any favors last year," joked LSSU coach Steve Hettinga, "but Coach Izzo always has his teams prepared. It will be an advantage for them to have played a game first. Our guys are excited for the opportunity to play against a national power."

Kuhl and VanOudheusden were freshmen on the Laker team that lost 107-73 at MSU on Nov. 7, 2005. VanOudheusden scored 13 points in that contest. Now they are part of a senior-dominated team that is coming off a strong 2007-08 finish.

"Last year would have been harder to play them," Hettinga said. "I was still learning who the guys were and they were learning new systems. I'm not sure we would have ever had enough time to get ourselves ready for Michigan State."

Playing at the Breslin Center gives LSSU statewide and national exposure. The game will be broadcasted live via a feed on WSOO 1230 AM. A free video feed will be available by accessing the following link: http://video.bigtennetwork.com/MSU/live.

"When you go up against a team that is far superior, you will probably learn a lot more than they will," Hettinga said. "This will give us an opportunity to test our metal and give us a few days to work on things before it really counts."

Lake Superior State's 2008-09 roster is loaded with familiar faces. In fact, LSSU's lineup hasn't changed much since VanOudheusden, Anthony Gibson, Mike Rader, Mark Morse and Kuhl were rookies.

What has changed is the Lakers' confidence level. After ending the 2007-08 regular season with four straight wins, including road victories at Ferris State, Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech, and advancing to the GLIAC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 1996, the Lakers have proven they can win. They know they have the potential to do something special in 2008-09.

Kuhl (6-8, 215), who averaged 14 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last season, has led the Lakers in rebounding for three straight years. He was the Lakers' scoring leader in 2005-06 and 2006-07, and finished slightly behind VanOudheusden in that category last year. The two-time All-GLIAC honoree was ranked 11^th in the league in field-goal percentage at .520 and 11^th in rebounds, and was ranked sixth in average blocked shots per game.

Kuhl went into last season rehabbing an injury, and is doing the same in 2008-09. As he works his way back into top shape, sophomore center Matt Romatz (6-6, 220), Gibson (6-3, 225) and VanOudheusden (6-4, 225) may have to carry the load in the post.

VanOudheusden is considered a tough player to guard because he is strong enough to play inside and quick on the perimeter. Last year's LSSU most-valuable player had an outstanding campaign, averaging 14.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He was ranked seventh in the GLIAC in free-throw percentage at .800 and 12^th in field-goal percentage at .518.

"VanOudheusden had a great off-season," Hettinga noted. "And Gibson is much-improved and playing with a lot more confidence. We're hoping that as a senior everything clicks for him."

Morse, who missed the 2005 exhibition game at MSU due to an injury, is entering his fourth season as the Lakers' starting wing, while Rader has been an off-and-on starter who primarily played a sixth-man role in 2007-08. Morse, who is sixth on LSSU's career three-pointers list with 176, is a quiet leader for the Lakers, but no secret to opponents.

"I know that if he gets off an open three, opposing coaches go nuts on their players," Hettinga said of Morse. "He doesn't sneak under the radar in the conference."

Morse, VanOudheusden, Rader and sophomore guard Micah Hudson combined to shoot an impressive 44.2 percent from three-point range last season. Last year's three-point shooting success (the Lakers were ranked third in the GLIAC in three-point field-goal percentage) may be the strongest indicator of LSSU's vast experience as Hettinga credited his team's knack for finding the open man.

"Our focus 100 percent is to get the ball inside," Hettinga said. "We like to work inside-out, and it's nice to know that we have post players who can pass the ball. We run a lot of motion and let the players dictate whether they're going to go inside or outside...I hope we continue to play unselfishly - when the guy is open, pass him the ball. Our players have always been really good about that, and it helps that we have a very good low-post game."

Junior guards and assist leaders Scott Perkins and Garrett Konuszewski also return. Perkins averaged 10.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game last season. Konuszewski contributed 6.3 ppg despite struggling with injuries throughout the year. LSSU also returns sophomores Nate Householder at guard and Jeremy Beasley at forward. Newcomers include junior guard Matt Carr, who is a transfer from Alpena Community College, redshirt freshman center Mike Boylan and freshman guard Kyle Hunt. Guard Cameron Bell will redshirt this season.

After starting out the 2007-08 season with seven straight losses, last year's squad finished 12-16 overall and tied for second place in the GLIAC North Division with an 8-10 record. The Lakers are vying for their first winning season since they were 17-11 in 2001-02.