SAULT STE. MARIE - Tiffin may have won the battle between two hot shooters, but Lake Superior won the war. The Lakers edged the Dragons 76-70 Saturday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium despite an impressive 38-point scoring effort by TU's Joe Graessle.

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball game was tied 15-15 with 6:50 remaining in the first half when Graessle, and LSSU freshman Alex Williams and sophomore Derek Billing found their shooting touch. Williams and Billing combined to hit four three-pointers during the final six minutes, and Graessle answered with four trays and a jumper to give Tiffin a 35-34 halftime lead.

Billing was assigned to Graessle during the second half and held him to three field goals, but Graessle was 9-of-9 at the free throw line and scored 17 second-half points.

Lake Superior State (10-9 overall, 5-7 GLIAC) was the first team to score during the second half and held the lead throughout the final 20 minutes. Williams' three-pointer with 17:21 to go gave the lakers a 44-37 lead. Tiffin (9-12 overall, 4-10 GLIAC) cut the lead to one point on two occasions, but a Billing three-pointer at 3:42 and two free throws by Williams after a Kyle Hunt steal enabled LSSU to regain a seven-point lead, 64-57.

Graessle was 3-for-3 at the line and made two more three-pointers during the final 2:47, but LSSU always found an answer.

Williams finished with a season-high 27 points, including 21 during the first half. Billing scored 16 points, and had eight assists and three steals. Hunt totaled 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Derek Kinney contributed 10 points and nine rebounds.

LSSU forced 23 Tiffin turnovers. The Lakers shot 41.9 percent from the field, including 9-of-33 from three-point range, and made 15-of-20 free throws.

Travis Spahr totaled 10 points and 13 rebounds for TU. Karl Finley also scored 10 points. Tiffin shot 41.5 percent from the field, including 9-of-19 from behind the arc, and made 17-of-21 free throws. The Dragons out-rebounded LSSU, 38-35.

LSSU plays at Ferris State on Feb. 2.

LSSU vs. Tiffin Boxscore