COLUMBUS, Ohio - Lake Superior State, which has made second-half comebacks a common practice in 2013-14, defeated Ohio Dominican 68-63 in men's basketball Thursday to improve to 14-1.

The Lakers, who entered the NABC Top 25 Poll at No. 23 this week, also improved to a league-leading 6-1 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Senior guard Derek Billing, who led the game with 27 points, scored 19 points during the first half carry the Lakers to a 35-33 halftime lead. 

Ohio Dominican (3-8 overall, 1-6 GLIAC) overcame a five-point deficit to lead 41-40 at 16:09 of the second half. The Panthers held a five-point lead with 7:36 to go.

The second half included six lead changes, and LSSU never trailed after a Devin Daly rebound led to a layup and three-point play by Tony Harris with 4:31 remaining.

ODU tied it, 60-60, at the 4:10 mark, but Billing answered with two free throws. The Panthers failed to convert on back-to-back possessions, and LSSU responded with a layup by Cameron Metz at 2:51 for a 64-60 LSSU lead. They were 3-for-4 at the line during the final 1:18, but Harris and Billing were a perfect 4-for-4.

Billing was 11-for-11 at the line for the game and had his highest scoring output in four games. He also led the Lakers in rebounds with seven.

Metz finished with 17 points and five rebounds, and Harris had nine points. LSSU shot 40 percent from the field, including 2-of-13 from three-point range, and made 22-of-27 free throws. The Lakers rank fifth in the GLIAC in free-throw percentage at .754.

Mark Minch scored 20 points and Chad Nelson had 14 for Ohio Dominican, which shot 43.4 percent from the field, including 2-of-12 from behind the arc. The Panthers made 15-of-20 free throws and out-rebounded LSSU, 41-31.

With the win, LSSU moved into sole possession of first place in the GLIAC North Division. The Lakers were previously tied with Grand Valley State (a nine-point loser at Walsh Thursday) and Ferris State (an 11-point loser at Malone).

LSSU plays at Tiffin at 3 p.m. Saturday.

ODU-LSSU Boxscore