DETROIT - Lake Superior State survived a sub-par three-point shooting night with solid bench play and a strong rebounding performance to beat Wayne State 69-63 during Thursday's Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball opener.

LSSU's bench enjoyed a 28-13 scoring advantage, and senior Jake Blake and freshman Mike Nicholson combined for 18 of the Lakers' 45 rebounds. Senior Alex Williams had his usual steady night, leading the Lakers (4-1) with 17 points and five rebounds. Coming off the bench, senior Tony Harris finished with 16 points, and junior Devin Daly had 10.

LSSU was 8-of-35 (22.9 percent) from behind the arc after entering the game shooting 35.3 percent from three-point range.

Lake Superior State led 31-20 at halftime despite not attempting a free throw. Williams and Daly combined for 15 first-half points.

LSSU maintained a double-digit lead until Wayne State (0-4) cut it to eight, 44-36, with 12:35 remaining in the second half. The Warriors cut it to four, 55-51, with 4:09 to go. After Williams and WSU's Clark Bishop traded three-pointers, Harris scored seven of the Lakers' next nine points to protect his team's lead. He was 7-of-8 at the free-throw line for the game.

LSSU shot 37.1 percent from the field for the game and made 15-of-23 free throws -- all during the second half. The Lakers out-rebounded Wayne State, 45-39.

Gavin Toma scored 20 points and Bishop added 16 to lead Wayne State. The Warriors shot 37.3 percent from the field, including 5-of-17 from three-point range, and made 14-of-20 free throws. They shot 28.6 percent from the field during the first half, and 45.2 percent during the second.

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

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