PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie men's basketball team hosted the preseason conference favorites, the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers, on Thursday. From the opening tip, the Storm came out firing on all cylinders and never looked back. They never trailed against a formidable Panthers squad that entered the matchup riding a 10-game winning streak. With this signature victory, Lake Erie improves to 10-4 overall and 3-3 in G-MAC play. For Coach Conley, the night was particularly special, as he secured his 100th career victory in commanding fashion, further cementing his legacy with the green and white.

Game Recap

Five minutes in, the Storm found themselves already up 13-4 thanks to stellar team defense and three pointers by Micah Bays, C.J. Hornbeak, and Todd Simons. The Panthers cut their deficit to just five shortly after, but from 13:46-9:35 left in the first half, Lake Erie went on another 15-2 run to lead 28-10. That 18-point advantage would ultimately reflect the final score, but as the teams headed into halftime, the Storm enjoyed a comfortable 47-21 lead, stamping their best half of the season. 

The second half began with a spark from Kentucky Wesleyan, who cut nine points off the deficit within the first three minutes. While the Storm didn't maintain their red-hot shooting from the first half, they played consistently enough to keep the Panthers at bay. The closest Kentucky Wesleyan would get was within 14 points, as Lake Erie held firm to secure the statement win.

Analysis

The 21 points given up in the first half are the fewest the Storm have allowed in a half since the 2022-2023 season against Trevecca Nazarene, when Lake Erie held the Trojans to just 19 points in the first half of an eventual 66-60 Storm victory. That was 52 games ago. 

Interestingly, Lake Erie did not begin the game with their trademark full-court press, instead relying on disciplined half-court team defense. While this approach resulted in just five forced turnovers in the first half—a season-low—it proved to be the right call. The Storm's stifling defense held Kentucky Wesleyan to a dismal 6-27 shooting from the field (22.2%). Lake Erie would opt for their press later in the first half, but it certainly wasn't because their defense was getting carved up. 

Lake Erie also dominated the interior, outscoring Kentucky Wesleyan 46-22 in points in the paint. For a Panthers squad averaging 34 paint points per game, 22 fell well short of expectations. Meanwhile, the Storm's 46 points in the paint were the most the Panthers have allowed to any opponent this season.

The Storm's shooting was another key to the win, as they posted one of their most efficient performances of the season. Lake Erie shot 33-64 from the field (51.6%), 9-18 from three-point range (50%), and 10-12 from the free throw line (83.3%). Their field goal percentage marked their best in G-MAC play this season, while their three-point shooting tied their best conference outing (vs. Malone). Their free throw efficiency also boosted their season average.

One statistical anomaly stood out: Kentucky Wesleyan attempted 27 free throws—the most they've taken this season and their highest total in 39 games dating back to last year. They converted 23 of those attempts (85.2%), an elite mark. Meanwhile, Lake Erie attempted just 12 free throws, creating a 15-attempt discrepancy. In most cases, such a disparity would signal a loss, but the Storm overcame it with superior defense and efficiency.

Rebounding was another intriguing subplot entering the game. Lake Erie came in leading the conference in offensive rebounds but ranking near the bottom in total rebounds. Conversely, Kentucky Wesleyan had dominated opponents on the glass all season, leading the G-MAC in rebounding margin. On this night, however, Lake Erie held its own. Both teams grabbed seven offensive boards, but the Storm won the total rebounding battle 33-26.

Finally, Lake Erie's unique platoon substitution system was on full display. Subbing all five players at once has been a hallmark of their rotation, allowing for strong chemistry among the units. While this approach can sometimes falter due to the game's natural disruptions (fouls, injuries, mistakes), it worked perfectly in this matchup. The bench unit delivered hustle, energy, and scoring, contributing 36 points in approximately 14 minutes per player. Lake Erie's bench outscored Kentucky Wesleyan's +17 and has outscored opponents' benches by a combined 560-363 (+197) this season.

The Matchup

Thursday's win improves Lake Erie's all-time record against Kentucky Wesleyan to 5-10. The Storm will aim to further narrow the Panthers' series lead when they travel to Owensboro for the rematch on February 24.

Looking Ahead

There's little time to savor this victory, as the Storm will hit the road Saturday to face the Tiffin Dragons. Tiffin is still searching for its first conference win but has recorded non-conference victories over Miami Middletown (92-61) and Penn State Fayette (101-57). With a 2-11 record, the Dragons are hungry to break into the G-MAC win column, especially after pushing Ohio Dominican to overtime in a hard-fought 82-87 loss. However, all of their other conference matchups have ended in double-digit defeats.

Tiffin averages a conference-low 67.8 points per game, holds the worst three-point shooting percentage in the G-MAC (28.9%), and grabs a league-low 33.3 rebounds per game. That said, they generate three blocks and 6.5 steals per contest, leveraging their length and athleticism to stay competitive. The Storm cannot afford to underestimate them.

Tiffin has been experimenting with various starting lineups this season, utilizing a deep rotation with 10 players consistently logging 12+ minutes per game. Here are the four key players to watch:

6'6 Senior Dekyre Fuller - 12.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.7 blocks

6'3 Senior Allen Fordham - 10.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists

6'6 Redshirt Sophomore Michael Lucarotti - 8.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists

6'4 Junior KJ Pruitt - 6.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists

They are rounded out by six key rotational players: 6'6 Jacob Pleiman, 6'7 Jonah Nesmith, 6'7 Caleb Bates, 6'3 DJ Gooden, 6'4 John Muhammad, and 6'4 D'monyae Davis.