SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State scored eight points at the free-throw line during the final six minutes of Saturday's non-conference men's basketball game against Kentucky Wesleyan, but it was guard Tony Harris forcing a KWC ball out of bounds that was the difference maker in the Lakers' 69-65 victory.

The Panthers (2-2) trailed 66-65 when Harris pressured their in-bounder following two missed KWC free throws with 1:03 remaining. LSSU freshman Akaemji Williams was fouled while driving to the basket with 29 seconds left and made both free throws for a 68-65 Laker lead.

Kentucky Wesleyan missed three desperation three-point attempts before LSSU's Jake Blake grabbed a defensive rebound with three second remaining. He made 1-of-2 free throws to secure the four-point win.

LSSU senior Alex Williams, who received a commemorative game ball prior to the contest recognizing his 1,000th career point scored Nov. 14 against Truman, led the Lakers with 14 points and four rebounds. He survived the final eight minutes with four fouls.

Lake Superior State (2-1) also survived 19 turnovers by shooting 51.3 percent from the field. Alex Williams, junior Devin Daly and sophomore Mike Smutny were a combined 12-of-18 from the field.

Sophomore guard Jordan Dasuqi and Smutny scored 12 points each, and Akaemji Williams and Daly added eight each. Daly and Smutny led LSSU in rebounds with five each. For Smutny, who had 10 first-half points, it was a career scoring high. Akaemji Williams added two steals.

LSSU made 6-of-16 three-point attempts and 23-of-31 free throws. The Lakers held a 31-30 rebounding edge.

Kentucky Wesleayn, which dropped a 73-72 home decision to Northwood on Wednesday, was led by Ken-Jah Bosley with 14 points and Devin Langford with 11. The Panthers shot 40.4 percent from the field, including 2-of-15 from three-point range, and made 17-of-23 free throws.

LSSU led 40-36 at halftime. The Lakers' biggest lead was nine points, 48-39, after an Alex Williams three-pointer with 17:56 remaining in the second half. KWC fought back to tie it, 49-49, with 14:25 to go, and led by as many as five points.

LSSU's final field goal was a jumper by Daly with 6:46 remaining. The Lakers were 8-of-10 at the free-throw line during the final 6:10, including a 3-for-4 effort by freshman post player Mike Nicholson and the goal-ahead free throws by Alex Williams at 3:46.

LSSU plays host to Algoma University at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Alex Williams moved up to a tie for 37th in career scoring with 1,023 points.

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