PAINESVILLE, Ohio (February 21, 2009) - Playing in its final home game of the season, Lake Erie College did its best to hang with Central State University Saturday afternoon, but was overpowered inside on its way to losing, 78-53. The Marauders out rebounded Lake Erie 40-29, while producing more than half of its points - 42 total - from the paint.

The Storm was right in the game during the first half, taking a four-point lead after two possessions with jumpers by senior Rick Leasure (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) and sophomore Ethan Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio/Harmony Prep). The Marauders later tied the score at six before Leasure hit a 3-pointer to put the Storm back on top. Central State then tied things at nine before going ahead, causing Lake Erie to come-from-behind for the first time just under the 14-minute mark. The Storm did just that and evened the score at 13 with 10:28 on the clock. The score flopped back and forth several times in the next few minutes, remaining close. With the Storm trailing by only one at 23-22 with less than four minutes to go, it was then Central State pushed ahead by the largest lead of the half, heading into the break with a nine-point advantage at 37-28.

The second half went by without Lake Erie ever getting any closer than nine. Senior Derrick Thornton (University Heights, Ohio/Lutheran East) scored nine of his team-high 17 points in the period. He finished the night with a team-leading six rebounds and had two steals. Leasure was the only other Storm player to score in double figures with 11. He and fellow senior John Dickinson (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) each had three assists.

Lake Erie (7-19) travels to Kentucky Wesleyan on Wednesday at 7 p.m. for its final game of the season.