WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. - The Lake Superior State (LSSU) men's basketball team (7-2, 1-1 GLIAC) never trailed on their way to a 67-61 victory over the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs (7-5, 4-3 NSIC) in their first game at the JustAgame Classic on Monday.

The Lakers were able to get off to a hot start as an and-one from Kingsley Perkins (Ypsilanti, Mich.) and a pair of threes from Xander Okerlund (Empire, Mich.) had LSSU leading 17-6 less than five minutes into the game. The Mustangs would push back, but threes from Omar Suleiman (Canton, Mich.) and Hunter Soper (Lexington, Mich.) put the Lakers back up by double digits. A pair of baskets from Devin Womack (Ypsilanti, Mich.) would then help the Lakers close out the opening half leading 34-24 going into the halftime break. 

Both teams would battle early in the second half, but a three from Blake Cassidy (Pellston, Mich.) gave the Lakers a 13 point lead. The Mustangs were able to battle back to within three points, but threes from Okerlund and Womack held them at bay, pushing the lead back up to nine. However, the Mustangs had one last push left in them, fighting back with a 9-0 run to tie up the score at 58-58 with a little over two minutes left to play. Soper found his way to the free throw line to put his team back up by two, but a clutch three from Okerlund proved to be a dagger as the Lakers closed out the 67-61 victory.

Okerlund led the Lakers in scoring with 16 points with Womack, Perkins, and Soper all also finished with double-digit points, and in addition to his 13 points, Perkins also added a game-high 11 rebounds for the double-double. 

The Lakers will be looking to close out the JustAgame Classic with another victory when they take on the Saint Leo Lions on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m.