INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Lake Erie College men's basketball team opened the 2016-17 regular season at the GLIAC-GLVC Challenge hosted by the University of Indianapolis on Saturday (Nov. 12).

The Storm fell to the University of Southern Indiana Eagles 90-77 in the opener.

Southern Indiana jumped out to an early lead but the Storm tied the game three times in the first five minutes. After a 9-9 tie, the Storm went on an 8-1 run capped by a Gabe Kynard (Toledo, Ohio / St. John's) layup for a 17-10 lead. With 10:20 left in the first half, Sean Howard (Indianapolis, Ind. / Lawrence North) knocked down a three pointer to reopen a seven point Storm lead. Over the next four minutes, the Eagles responded with a 13-0 run for a 30-24 lead. Through the remainder of the first half, the Storm kept the lead less than ten as the halftime score was 43-38.

The Storm shot 52% (12-23) for the first half as Howard led the Storm with 12 points.

An 8-2 Eagles run pushed the lead to 51-40 four minutes into the second half. Ryan Middendorf (West Chester, Ohio / Lakota East) pulled the Storm within two as the Storm raged back with a 10-1 run, completed by a layup. Southern Indiana put more distance with another 11-1 run. The Eagles led 63-51 with 11 minutes left. Southern Indiana held the Storm at bay the rest of the way en route to a 90-77 win.

Lake Erie was outshot 64% to 39% in the second half. The Storm shot 45% (23-51) overall in the game.

Howard and Kynard led the Storm with 16 points each. Ennis Thomas (Columbus, Ohio / Westerville South) added 14 points in his collegiate debut. David Dunnigan (Cleveland, Ohio / Padua) and Nick Wells (Akron, Ohio / St. Vincent-St. Mary) finished with ten and eight points, respectively.

The Storm will be back in action on Sunday (Nov. 13) against the host, the University of Indianapolis at 6:45 PM Eastern Time. 

-LEC-