SAULT STE. MARIE – A young Lake Superior State women's basketball team looking for a winning formula found success in double overtime Saturday in front of a Laker Basketball Alumni Weekend crowd.

The Lakers (5-18 overall, 4-13 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) came out on top of a back-and-forth marathon against Hillsdale, 78-75. The game included 13 lead changes and nine ties.

Hillsdale (9-12 overall, 6-11 GLIAC) pulled away from a 28-28 halftime tie to lead by as many as 12 points in the third quarter.

LSSU junior Mackenzie Edwards scored eight of her game-leading 30 points during the fourth quarter to propel the Lakers' comeback. The game was deadlocked, 60-60, at the end of regulation.

Hillsdale's Allie Dittmer, who made a game-tying three-pointer with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, made one of two free throws to tie it 69-69 with 30 seconds remaining in the first overtime.

The second overtime included four lead changes and three ties. LSSU's Rachel Novotny made a jumper with 38 seconds left for a 76-75 Laker lead and forced a Charger turnover 18 seconds later. LSSU senior guard Megan Manninen was fouled twice during the final 18 seconds and secured the win by making 1-of-2 free throws during both trips to the line.

Edwards was 9-of-17 from the field, 4-of-9 from three-point range and 8-of-10 at the free-throw line while reaching a career scoring high. She also totaled six rebounds and six assists. The Gaylord, Mich., native, who averages 14.1 points per game, has contributed 20 ppg during the Lakers' last seven outings.

April LaCross finished with a season-high tying 15 points, and Valerie Meissner added 11, reaching double figures for the eighth time this season and first time in nine games. Novotny compiled eight points and a season-high tying 10 rebounds. LaCross and Novotny added three steals each.

LSSU, a 25-point loser at Hillsdale in mid January, shot 39.1 percent from the field, including 13-of-36 from three-point range, and made 15-of-20 free throws.

Dittmer led Hillsdale with 29 points and eight rebounds. The Chargers, who have lost four straight, shot 47.5 percent from the field, including 5-of-16 from three-point range, and made 12-of-20 free throws. They out-rebounded LSSU, 47-33.

Lake Superior State begins a four-game road stretch Thursday at Grand Valley State.