PAINESVILLE, Ohio - The Lake Erie Storm men's basketball team overcame a double-digit, second-half deficit to knock off the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 64-58, on Tuesday (Dec. 29) evening in the third-place game of the Holiday Inn South/Ledger Classic in Lakeland, Fla.

The Storm (5-11) lost to No. 2 Florida Southern on Monday night after overcoming a second-half deficit against the Moccasins. But Lake Erie was able to finish off its rally Tuesday night over the Tritons (7-3) in the teams' first-ever meeting.
 
The win snapped a five-game losing skid for the Storm, which will continue its tough schedule with a home outing against Grand Valley State on Jan. 2.
 
After shooting over 50 percent in Monday's loss, Lake Erie was able to overcome a 33-percent (19-for-58) shooting night to beat the Tritons.

Lake Erie held UMSL to 36 percent shooting overall, including a 5-for-22 mark from three-point range.
 
The Storm trailed for much of the first half as the Tritons led, 29-24, at halftime. Missouri-St. Louis eventually took an 11-point lead with 14 minutes to play.
 
Lake Erie, though, went on a 16-3 run over the next five minutes that included three three-pointers from starting point guard Antonio Kidd (Cleveland, Ohio/Lakewood), who had 12 of his 15 points in the second half.
 
After that run, Lake Erie led, 44-41, with just under nine minutes to play. From there, the Storm never gave up the lead, eventually going up by seven with three minutes to play after a lay-up by freshman forward Eric Worthey (South Euclid, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy).
 
The Tritons worked the lead back to one point with 46 seconds left, but Lake Erie hit five of its next six free throws to close the game, including four by freshman center Garrick Sims (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton).
 
Kidd and Worthey paced the Storm with 15 points apiece, while Sims and Ethan Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio/Harmony Prep) each added 10. Bradshaw and Worthey had four steals apiece to help the Storm force 20 Triton turnovers.
 
Darnell Campbell (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) finished just short of a double-double with nine points and a season-high 10 boards.
 
Lake Erie held a huge advantage in free throws, hitting on 21-of-31, while the Tritons were just 9-for-14.
 
The Storm returns to the home floor for the first time in 2010 on Jan. 2 to take on perennial GLIAC power Grand Valley State University. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.
 
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