Lakers vs. WMU
Lakers unwind from finals week with home basketball games
SAULT STE. MARIE - Members of the Lake Superior State men's and women's basketball teams can unwind from the rigors of final exams with home games Thursday against Ashland and Saturday against Tiffin.
Both LSSU squads are 2-1 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference heading into the weekend double-headers. The Lakers play a women's game against Ashland at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium, and the men's game follows at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, the women's game against Tiffin begins at 1 p.m., followed by the men's game at 3 p.m.
All four contests will be broadcast live on Talkradio 1400 with a live audio feed on www.talkradio1400.net. A pay-per-view video feed is available on the B2 Network. All Sault Area High School students with a valid student I.D. will receive free admission to Thursday's games.
The LSSU women's team improved to 3-2 overall after back-to-back victories over Findlay and Saginaw Valley State. Ashland (3-3 overall, 1-2 GLIAC) recently posted a 12-point victory over Tiffin after suffering losses at Ferris State and Grand Valley State. Tiffin (3-4 overall, 1-2 GLIAC) beat Ferris State by nine points, then suffered back-to-back losses to fifth-ranked Gannon and Ashland.
Lake Superior State currently leads the GLIAC and is ranked 11th nationally in three-point field-goal percentage (.423). The Laker women are also ranked second in the league in average blocked shots per game (3.6), free-throw percentage (.800) and field-goal percentage (.463).
LSSU's Ronlea Peterson, Allison Jaynes, Nicole Marshall and Emily Joseph are all ranked among the top 12 in the GLIAC in three-point field-goal percentage. Peterson leads the way and is ranked 11th nationally at .52.4 percent (11-for-21). Joseph is second in assists, averaging 5.8 per game. Freshman Maria Blazejewski is averaging 15.2 points per game to lead the Lakers in scoring and has the GLIAC's fourth-rated field-goal percentage of .569. Sophomore Cassy Schemberger is tied for fifth in rebounding, averaging 7.0 rpg.
Tiffin sophomore guard Mandy Jaeb leads the GLIAC in scoring at 20.1 ppg, while Ashland freshman Beth Mantkowski owns the league's best field-goal percentage of .600. Eagles senior Lindsey Gaut is the GLIAC leader in steals, averaging 3.5 per game.
LSSU senior Scott Perkins is averaging 21.9 points per game to lead the GLIAC men in scoring. Sophomore Kyle Hunt stepped in for injured point guard Garrett Konuszewski and has maintained the Lakers' status as league leader in assist/turnover ratio. Hunt is fifth in the GLIAC in average assists per game at 5.7.
The Lakers (3-4 overall, 2-1 GLIAC) are coming off a three-point loss to Saginaw Valley State. Ashland (3-3 overall, 1-2 GLIAC) will be playing its fourth straight road game Thursday. The Eagles followed losses at Ferris State and Grand Valley State with a 20-point win at Tiffin on Dec. 12. Tiffin (1-6 overall, 0-3 GLIAC) has a lone victory over Cincinnati-Clermont.
