SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State survived a defensive battle with Wayne State to eek out a 55-53 win Saturday and avenge a 12-point mid-January road loss.

LSSU (12-9 overall, 10-6 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) shot only 33.3 percent from the field and was out-rebounded 42-29 by Wayne State. The Lakers were 0-for-9 from behind the arc in the second half, but made 12-of-15 second-half free throws.

Wayne State (10-10 overall, 8-8 GLIAC), the No. 1 team in the GLIAC in free-throw percentage, was 7-of-16 at the free-throw line in the second half and 11-of-21 for the game.

Laker Kyle Hunt scored nine points and Andrew Charlesworth added seven as LSSU cruised to a 31-24 halftime lead. The Lakers led by as many as 13 points in the first half.

Wayne State cut the deficit to two points, 42-40, with 9:43 remaining in the second half, but never caught Lake Superior State.

Hunt made two free throws at the 1:01 mark and added two more with six seconds to go to protect a slim Laker lead. He missed two free throws with two seconds left. WSU's Ike Udanoh rebounded the second shot and bounced a full-court three-point attempt off the rim.

Hunt finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals to lead the Lakers. Charlesworth added 11 points, followed by Garrett Konuszewski and Justin Williams with seven each.

Udanoh totaled 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Warriors, who shot 38 percent from the field, including 4-of-8 from three-point range.

LSSU was 5-of-20 from behind the arc.

Williams, and Wayne State's Bryan Wright and Jerry Oden fouled out.

Lake Superior State travels to Tiffin on Feb. 11.

LSSU vs. WSU