A punishing, physical game. A big comeback attempt on the road. Clutch shots and high drama.
Welcome to the GLIAC. It's just the first night.
Lake Superior State (3-4, 0-1 GLIAC) dueled to an 85-79 loss at #19 Grand Valley State (7-0, 1-0 GLIAC) on Thursday night, in a game that will surely raise the stock of both teams. While the first half saw rough-and-tumble, no-surrender basketball, the second half stood out for spectacular play by both teams in a pressure-packed contest.
Up by seven early in the second half, GVSU quickly leaped into a commanding lead with back-to-back three-pointers by Charles Turner. The hosts twice took a 14-point lead in the opening eight minutes of the second half.
But Lake Superior State remained undaunted. The visitors dug deep and battled back, hitting difficult shots against one of the best defenses in the country. While Ethan Alderink put GVSU up 56-42 with 12:47 left, LSSU's defense forced seven straight misses from the floor, cutting the lead back to seven in the process. Though Grand Valley quickly stretched the lead back to 12, LSSU answered the call again.
GVSU successfully limited
Omar Suleiman for much of the game. With 33 minutes played, the conference's third leading scorer had scored only two points.
But the clock hit crunch time, and he turned into a destroyer. The reigning GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week scored 14 of his 16 points in the final seven minutes, hitting three triples in the process. The redshirt sophomore from Canton, MI showed why he's one of the premier talents in one of NCAA Division II Men's Basketball's premier leagues.
But he wasn't alone.
Nino Carter-Smith went 6-for-8 from the field and hit five of his eight foul shots. He was a major, consistent force in the Laker offense and put on another efficient early-season performance.
Harrison Sorrelle led the Lakers with 19 points and hit four three-pointers.
Down 73-65 with four minutes left, LSSU got a three from Suleiman, a pair of free throws from Sorrelle and a layup from Carter-Smith to cut the deficit to just a single point, 75-74. But GVSU saved its biggest play for late, and Alderink scored and earned an extra shot at the line. His three-point play put Grand Valley up by four. It would be just enough cushion as the game entered its final minute, and they held on to remain undefeated.
GVSU's Trevor Smith, Jr. led the home team with 18 points, while Sorrelle's 19 led all scorers. Both teams tallied nine steals and 15 turnovers and shot an identical 26-for-59 from the floor. LSSU hit nine of its 25 three-pointers for a 36% connection rate, slightly higher than GVSU's.
Thursday's league-opener felt like the main event for the league championship, much like LSSU's showdown at home with Ferris State at the Bud Cooper Gym back in January of last season. But there's a long way to go until anything gets decided in the hyper-competitive GLIAC. Game one proved that both GVSU and LSSU are ready to go the distance. Buckle up, because this conference schedule looks like an incredible ride.
Fans will want February 21st bookmarked in their phones, as Grand Valley travels to Sault Ste. Marie to face LSSUÂ in a critical late-season showdown. Lake Superior State hosts Senior Day and Alumni Weekend, scheduling a massive opponent for a massive weekend. Buy your tickets now to get your seat at the Bud Cooper Gymnasium for that game, and for the next Lakers home contests. Monday, December 15th, Lake Superior State Women's Basketball hosts Walsh at 1:00 PM, followed by a 3:00 PM Men's Basketball game against Rochester Christian. Tickets are on sale now online and at the Norris Center Box Office.
