Lakers are eager to take on Chargers in GLIAC home openers

SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State’s basketball coaches shouldn’t have any trouble priming their teams to play Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference South Division powerhouse Hillsdale on Saturday. 

LSSU men’s basketball coach Steve Hettinga classifies the Chargers among the GLIAC’s “elite” teams due to their impressive string of wins that started last January. Hillsdale began the 2009-10 season with a 2-11 mark, then went 14-3 the rest of the way. The Chargers are off to a 9-0 start in 2010-11, including Tuesday’s 83-76 victory over North Division contender Ferris State.

“They ended our season last year (during the first round of the GLIAC Tournament),” Hettinga said. “It’s a game a lot of our guys have looked forward to since that game was over. They know they’re going up against a great team that is still getting better.”

LSSU women’s basketball coach Jamie Pewinski noted that her Lakers haven’t beaten the Chargers since January, 2007. Their last three meetings with Hillsdale were heartbreakers – 75-74 and 74-69 regular-season losses in 2009-10 and a 62-60 setback during the first round of the 2009 GLIAC Tournament.

“On paper we’re even, but I don’t remember the last time we’ve beaten them – three years ago maybe?” Pewinski said. “We’re looking forward to battling them. They are usually good games, and games in which we’ve had chances to win but haven’t pulled it out. It should be a grind until the last minute.”

The LSSU men (6-2 overall, 1-1 GLIAC) play Hillsdale (9-0 overall, 3-0 GLIAC) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium. The LSSU women (5-3 overall, 2-0 GLIAC) and Hillsdale (7-1 overall, 2-1 GLIAC) play the nightcap at 3 p.m. GLIAC men’s games are scheduled first in 2010-11 as part of a GLIAC initiative to improve overall attendance.

The Laker men lead the GLIAC in field-goal percentage defense (.380) and rebound margin (+9.0). Junior guard Kyle Hunt leads LSSU and is ranked sixth in the GLIAC in scoring at 16.4 points per game, while senior center Justin Williams is ranked seventh in rebounding at 6.8 rebounds per game. Senior forward Andrew Charlesworth is a perfect 16-of-16 at the free-throw line.

“I think we’re improving every day and still a work in progress,” Hettinga said. “I love the attitude of the guys and how hard they’re working. They are trying to get better every day…Our guys like challenges. We will find out a lot about ourselves this weekend.”

The Hillsdale men lead the GLIAC in scoring defense, allowing only 60.5 ppg, while LSSU is second at 64.1 ppg. Both teams rank among the top five in the league in turnover margin. Charger guard Tyler Gerber tops the GLIAC in average assists per game (6.1) and average steals per game (2.4).

LSSU is one of only four women’s teams still undefeated in the GLIAC after the first week of competition. Junior center Cassy Schemberger leads LSSU in scoring at 12.1 points per game and rebounding at 8.3 rpg. Sophomore forward Maria Blazejewski is second in scoring at 11.8 ppg, followed by senior guard Emily Joseph at 11.0 ppg. Joseph scored a combined 36 points during last week’s wins at Saginaw Valley State and Northwood and was named GLIAC North Division Player of the Week.

“We’re definitely excited to play a home game,” said Pewinski, whose team has played all eight games on the road. “I’m proud of the way we played at Saginaw and Northwood after returning from the Phoenix trip. They are starting to grasp working together and how to fit the system into their individual goals. It’s starting to show on the floor.”

Junior guard Chelsea Harrison is Hillsdale’s top player on the women’s team. She leads the GLIAC in average three-point field goals per game (2.7), is seventh in assists (4.1 apg) and ninth in scoring (14.9 ppg).

“They graduated two important guards – Brooke Knight and Janay Miller, but returned Harrison,” Pewinski said. “She can really shoot it, and that’s who we’ll have to focus on most.”