BIG RAPIDS - The Lake Superior State women's basketball team cruised to a 73-56 win at Ferris State Thursday and improved to 5-0 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Idle since Dec. 18, the Lakers (8-3 overall) controlled their first game of 2011 from start to finish. Emily Joseph, who has 20 or more points in four of her last five outings, led LSSU with 28 points and six rebounds. Against league opponents, she went into the game averaging 21 points per game.

LSSU built a 23-point command with 15:46 remaining. Ferris State (6-7 overall, 2-5 GLIAC) made a brief run to cut it to 13 points. Nicole Marshall canned a three-pointer at 3:41 for a 66-48 Laker lead, and added a layup at 3:12 to secure a 68-50 advantage.

LSSU shot 46 percent from the field, including 9-of-22 from three-point range, and made 12-of-16 free throws. The Lakers out-rebounded FSU, 33-30. Lake Superior State went into the game leading the nation in free-throw percentage at 81.5 percent.

Joseph was 8-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-5 from behind the arc. She also made 8-of-10 free throws. Maria Blazejewski finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Marshall scored 11 points. Cassy Schemberger, who missed the Dec. 18 game due to injury, totaled six points and eight rebounds.

Kelsey DeNoyelles and Tiara Adams scored 13 points each to lead Ferris State. The Bulldogs shot 41 percent from the field, including 3-of-14 from three-point range, and made 11-of-15 free throws.

LSSU plays at 3 p.m. Saturday at Grand Valley State.

FSU vs. LSSU Boxscore