Lake Superior State only turned the ball over five times, taking great care with the rock in a huge game. Nino Carter-Smith forced five steals by himself. But Lake Superior State lost 79-67 to top-seeded Northern Michigan at Vandament Arena in Marquette, dropping out of the GLIAC Tournament in the semifinal round.
 
The Lakers weren't strangers to intense atmospheres, and fans packed the gym for the third matchup of the year between the two squads, who had split the prior matchups. Both teams went at each other with passion and intensity, recognizing the importance of the moment with a shot at the tournament title on the line.
 
Carter-Smith led LSSU (19-12, 12-8 GLIAC) in scoring with 18 points, a day after the league announced him as a Second Team All-GLIAC selection. He chipped in three steals and three rebounds with those five big steals as well. Omar Suleiman scored 16 for LSSU – he was named First Team All-GLIAC on Friday.
 
Peter Nwoke played very well off the bench for LSSU. In a game where NMU (27-5, 16-4 GLIAC) held a significant rebounding advantage, Nwoke grabbed nine rebounds and clogged the land defensively. He blocked a shot and proved a steady interior presence for the Lakers.
 
Junior Tyler Jamison looked right at home in an intense, rough-and-tumble game. He scored eight points, snatched five boards, passed for two assists, blocked a shot and stole the ball twice. He scored with 8:40 left to bring the Lakers within a possession. The Wildcats led 58-56, then missed a three on the next possession, with Jamison grabbing the rebound.
 
But LSSU couldn't get the game tied, and the Cats began the run that would put the game out of reach in the closing minutes.
 
The result ends the Lakers' league-best eight game winning streak, which started with a seismic victory at Vandament Arena over the Wildcats. They beat #15 Grand Valley State in that stretch, a team that also made the league's final four. It was an epic run to close the regular season and launch the Lakers into the GLIAC Tournament, where they played an epic, all-time thriller against Purdue Northwest on Wednesday
 
The team could still qualify as an at-large bid for the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championships and will find out on Selection Sunday. Whether they go or not, the Lakers are primed to be one of the GLIAC's monsters for next season, with a ton of returning talent and a wealth of experience. Winning numerous close games, drawing rabid crowds to the Bud Cooper Gym and building the streak they did down the stretch, the future looks incredibly bright for Head Coach Steve Hettinga's team.