SAULT STE. MARIE - With the help of sophomore center Mike Nicholson's career-high 21-point performance, Lake Superior State men's basketball improved their overall record to 8-1 with an 84-51 drubbing of international rival Algoma University on Thursday night.

Nicholson's career night, matched with seven rebounds helped the No. 25 ranked Lakers (4-0 Great Lakes Valley Conference) extend their winning streak to six games, including four straight victories in Ronald "Bud" Cooper Gymnasium.

Nicholson, who hit 10-of-16 shots from the field, also finished with two blocks in the contest and is tied with Ferris State's Jared Stolicker for the GLIAC lead with 2.8 blocks per game.

Senior forward Marcus Davis, a transfer from Algoma, was rewarded with a starting role in his final game for LSSU over senior Devin Daly, the GLIAC's leading scorer. Davis finished with two points, two rebounds and a pair of assists in 18 minutes of action.

Daly went 6-for-12 from the field, including 3-for-3 from the three point line, to score 17 points in 23 minutes off the bench.

The senior forward from Mahogany Heights, Belize grabbed eight rebounds, two-shy of reaching his sixth-consecutive game with a double-double.

Sophomore guard and reigning U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II Player of the Week, Akaemji Williams, was the only other Laker to reach double figures in scoring with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor. Williams also dished out nine assists leaving him one helper shy of a double-double.

Sean Clendenning and Cailum White led the Thunderbirds with 12 points each.

For the game the Lakers shot 44 percent (33-75) from the field and hit 14-of-16 (87.5 percent) from the free throw line.

Defensively the Lakers forced 26 turnovers and scored 27 points off of turnovers, compared to just four points for the Thunderbirds off of 10 turnovers by the Lakers.

The Lakers will wrap up the first half of the season on Saturday with a 3p.m. tipoff against Silver Lake College. On Jan. 2 the Lakers will resume GLIAC play against Lake Erie at home.