PAINESVILLE, Ohio - Five Lakers scored in double figures as the Lake Superior State men's basketball team built a big first-half lead then hung on to beat Lake Erie 73-69 Thursday.

The Lakers improved to 8-8 overall and 3-6 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference heading into Saturday's contest at Ashland.

Sophomore guard Derek Billing led LSSU with 19 points, while sophomore center Cameron Metz came off the bench and added 16. Senior guard Kyle Hunt finished with 12 points, and junior forward Derek Kinney and freshman guard Alex Williams scored 10 each.

Williams was 4-of-8 from the field with two three-pointers as he scored all of his points during the first half. LSSU shot 56.3 percent from the field (18-of-32) to build a 40-27 halftime command.

Billing and Metz shot a combined 12-of-14 at the free-throw line and scored 10 points each during the second half.

Billing also totaled five assists for the night.

A steal by Daquavian McCants-Wilson with 31 seconds remaining led to a dunk by Hunt for a 69-61 LSSU lead. Lake Erie's Nate Tait made a layup and a three-pointer during the final 11 seconds as the Storm (7-8 overall, 2-6 GLIAC) cut the lead to two points. Billing closed out the scoring with two free throws with four seconds left.

LSSU shot 51.9 percent from the field for the game, including 5-of-18 from three-point range. The Lakers made 14-of-19 free throws.

Kinney led LSSU in rebounds with eight, and Metz had seven as the Lakers dominated the boards, 35-23.

Riley Thomas and Tait scored 17 points each to lead Lake Erie. The Storm shot 51.7 percent from the field for the game, including 17-of-30 during the second half.

Lake Erie made 7-of-18 three-point attempts and 4-of-9 free throws. The Storm was 1-of-10 from behind the arc during the first half and 6-of-8 during the second half.

LSSU and Ashland tip off at 3 p.m. Saturday. ESPN Radio AM 1400 will carry a live audio feed of the men's and women's games.

Lake Erie vs. LSSU Boxscore