MIDLAND, Michigan -- The Lake Erie men's basketball team kicked off their first game of the season on Friday evening against a talented Lake Superior State squad, ultimately coming away with an incredible 96-92 victory. At one point the Storm trailed 32-16, yet huge performances from new faces in the program helped keep the deficit manageable, and ultimately Lake Erie pulled out a gritty win—one reminiscent of the effort returners know is needed to succeed in G-MAC play.
Game Recap
After a back-and-forth start, Lake Erie found themselves on the wrong end of an 11-0 run from the Lakers midway through the first half, as Lake Superior suddenly took a commanding 32-16 lead with just 6:45 left before halftime. Despite continued sloppiness in protecting the ball (14 first-half turnovers, a mark they reached in only eight full games last year), the Storm were able to chip away at the deficit in the remaining minutes before the break. Junior transfer Caelum Ethridge was a major reason for that momentum shift, scoring all 11 of his first-half points in the final six minutes and helping trim the score to just 43-37 in favor of the Lakers.
Out of halftime, three straight Gavin Welch three-pointers provided exactly the spark Coach Conley was looking for, and despite trailing nearly the entire game, the Storm answered the bell every time it was needed to stay within striking distance. Fast forward to the middle of the half, and an Aidan Filippini layup gave Lake Erie their first lead since the opening minutes. More pendulum play on both sides led to an 83-83 tie with three minutes remaining, and that's when the veteran returners stepped up: Trace Bishko drilled a massive three-pointer, and Kai Bloom followed minutes later with another that broke a deadlock. Solid execution and clutch free throws from there sealed what is an excellent win over an impressive Lake Superior State squad.
Analysis
A really great win for the Storm, who had a tough test in their opener against a team coming off an NCAA DII Elite Eight appearance. While all five of Lake Superior State's starters departed, Lake Erie also has many of their key pieces gone from last year, as this year's roster looks drastically different than last season's. To pull out a win after trailing by 16 in the first half speaks volumes to the culture that permeates the program and the chemistry this group has already built in the offseason.
The three-point shooting was extremely encouraging, as Lake Erie hit crucial shots down the stretch that helped cement the win. More specifically, newcomer Gavin Welch went an unbelievable 6/8 from deep. The last time anyone made more threes in a game for the Storm? January 4th, 2014. Welch hitting six in his very first game is enormously promising, especially considering that's something this team desperately needed last year.
Kai Bloom and Rokas Castillo were incredibly active with their hands defensively, creating a combined seven steals in just 37 minutes. On the glass, 6'3" guard Amari Williams made it a point of emphasis to win the possession battle, finishing with a game-high 10 rebounds and recording a double-double in his Storm debut.
The 23 turnovers are a concern, as Lake Erie reached that number only once across 29 games last season. Additionally, rim deterrence may again be a limitation moving forward. Despite a top-five finish in the standings, Lake Erie had the third-fewest blocks in the conference last year—and that trend continued, with just one block in tonight's contest.
The Matchup
Last season, the Storm also opened the regular season against the Lakers and, for the first time ever, walked out with the win. After beating the No. 7 team in the country by 20 points the game prior, Lake Superior State fell to the Storm by seven—one of just five regular-season losses before their NCAA Midwest Regional title run. With today's win, the Storm are now 2-8 all-time in the series.
Looking Ahead
The Storm will spend another night in Midland as they prepare for their second and final game of the G-MAC/GLIAC Challenge against Ferris State tomorrow at 3 PM. Another powerhouse in the GLIAC, Ferris State also had a dominant regular season last year, finishing 24-7 and reaching the NCAA DII Midwest Region Quarterfinal. However, the Bulldogs will look far different this time around, as they too are replacing all five starters from last year's team. Coach Conley will be tuned in to their game later tonight against Northwood to get a clearer picture of the challenges Ferris State may present in this year's matchup.
