SAULT STE. MARIE - Northwood gave No. 22-ranked Lake Superior State the battle it expected, but the Lakers took over Wednesday's Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game during the second half and went on to win 78-65.

The Lakers (24-5) will next host the semifinal and final rounds of the GLIAC Tournament on Saturday and Sunday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium. They play Saginaw Valley State at 1 p.m. Saturday, and Ferris State and Walsh will meet in the other semifinal game at 3 p.m. Sunday's championship game begins at 2 p.m. Tickets go on sale at the Norris Center Ticket Office Thursday morning for this weekend's tournament.

LSSU, which split two close games with the Timberwolves (15-14) during the regular season, built leads of five and seven points during the first half, but Northwood fought its way back both times. NU's Dylan Langkabel hit a three-pointer to close the first half and cut the Lakers' lead to 36-33.

Northwood trimmed an eight-point second-half deficit to 47-45 with 15:07 remaining, but failed to close the gap further. Lake Superior State responded with a 13-3 run that included back-to-back three-pointers by Alex Williams and Mike Smutny.

Smutney and Devin Daly combined for nine of the Lakers' 13 points during the run.

Much of the second half also included a impressive one-one-one battles between LSSU freshman Akaemji Williams and NU junior Maurice Jones. A 6-0 run with scoring from Daly, Jordan Dasuqi and Tony Harris gave the Lakers a commanding 15-point lead with 2:52 remaining.

Daly was Northwood's nemisis during the regular season, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game against the Timberwolves. He again led the Lakers by totaling 17 points and six rebounds. He was one of five double-figure scorers for LSSU.

Dasuqi finished with 14 points, and Alex Williams and Akaemji Williams added 11 each. Smutny scored 10 points. LSSU shot 56 percent from the field during the second half and 48.3 percent for the game. The Lakers were 9-of-23 from three-point range and 13-of-17 at the free-throw line.

Jake Blake had an impressive first half and finished with nine points, a team-high seven rebounds and three assists. Mike Nicholson added six rebounds as LSSU edged Northwood on the boards, 38-36.

Jones scored 16 points, and Will Bowles totaled 15 points and 16 rebounds to lead Northwood. The Timberwolves shot 39.7 percent from the field, including 2-of-17 from three-point range, and made 13-of-18 free throws.