SAULT STE. MARIE – After playing a combined 12 road games during the past month, the Lake Superior State men's and women's basketball teams finally return home to play host to Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference newcomers Malone on Thursday and Walsh on Saturday.

Men's teams will be the first to play in GLIAC double-headers this season. The LSSU men, who are 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the GLIAC, take on Malone (3-2 overall, 1-1 GLIAC) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and meet Walsh (5-0 overall, 2-0 GLIAC) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium.

The LSSU women's team, which is 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the GLIAC, meets Malone (4-1 overall, 1-1 GLIAC) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Walsh (1-2 overall, 0-2 GLIAC) at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Both Laker squads are coming off road losses to GLIAC South Division contenders Hillsdale and Findlay.

“We're focusing on getting ourselves right,” LSSU men's basketball coach Steve Hettinga said. “Obviously we did not get off to a good start being 0-2. We have to play better and harder than we have, and clean up those areas where we struggled…We will focus on the things we are not doing well and keep growing in the areas where we are doing well. We're working hard, which is a good thing.”

For the LSSU men, senior forward Derek Kinney is ranked 11^th in the GLIAC in scoring (15.0 ppg) and sixth in rebounding (8.6 rpg), while junior guard Derek Billing is 14^th in scoring (14.2 ppg) and sixth in steals (2.0 spg). Malone junior guard Isiah Elliott is ranked seventh in scoring (16.6 ppg) and assists (4.0 apg). Walsh senior forward Kenny Kornowski (6-9, 235) is ranked 11^th in scoring (15.0 ppg) and fourth in rebounding (10.4 rpg) and leads a well-balanced Cavaliers team.

The Walsh men, who made seven straight trips to the NAIA National Tournament and finished 26-5 last season, swept Northern Michigan 75-68 and Michigan Tech 84-75 in overtime during their first weekend of GLIAC competition. The Cavs led throughout most of the first half during a season-opening 12-point exhibition loss to Ohio State.

The Laker women's team is continuously working to build a strong supporting cast around senior forward Maria Blazejewski, who is ranked sixth in the GLIAC in scoring (17.7 ppg) and eighth in rebounding (8.2 rpg). Sophomore guard Kandace Crittendon is contributing 12.0 ppg.

LSSU and Walsh rank 15^th and 16^th, respectively, in scoring offense and defense. Malone is sixth in both categories. The Malone Pioneers played their first GLIAC game in school history against powerhouse Michigan Tech last week and lost 68-56, but bounced back to beat Northern Michigan 64-56.

Freshman forward Tara Schaffter averages 10.2 ppg and has a three-point field-goal shooting percentage of .583 to lead Malone. Three players are averaging 10 points per game to lead Walsh.