SAULT STE. MARIE - The Lake Superior State men's basketball team scrapped its way to a 67-64 victory over Michigan Tech Saturday to sweep this week's Upper Peninsula homestand.

In a defensive battle from start to finish, LSSU (11-6 overall, 9-3 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) resorted to a balanced penetrating offense to overtake the Huskies (4-13 overall, 3-9 GLIAC).

Laker junior Justin Williams made two free throws at the 5:55 mark of the second half, and scored after a Michigan Tech turnover to give Lake Superior State a 60-53 lead. Senior guard Garrett Konuzewski drove and scored against triple coverage to make it 64-55 with 3:52 to go.

Michigan Tech took advantage of two offensive rebounds down the stretch and cut it to one, 65-64, with 30 seconds remaining. Sophomore guard Kyle Hunt sank the game-deciding free throws with 21 seconds left.

Hunt had a double double for the Lakers, totaling 13 points and 11 rebounds. Scott Perkins led the Lakers with 16 points and four assists, followed by Konuzewski with 12 points and Williams with 11.

Williams, freshman Derek Kinney and Hunt battled foul trouble throughout the game, as did MTU's Matt Gaedke and Ali Haidar.

LSSU, which committed only three turnovers in the game, shot 37.3 percent from the field, including 4-of-22 from three-point range. Kinney and Williams were a combined 7-of-7 at the line as LSSU made 19-of-28 free throws.

Gaedke scored 13 points, and Mike Hojnacki totaled 12 points and 12 rebounds as four players scored in double figures for Michigan Tech. The Huskies shot 41.8 percent from the field, including 4-of-18 from three-point range. They made 14-of-22 free throws and totaled 11 turnovers.

LSSU, which also beat U.P. rival Northern Michigan on Thursday, travels to Findlay on Jan. 28.

LSSU vs. MTU