PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie men's basketball team opened 2026 with a statement win over Tiffin University on Saturday afternoon, pulling away for a 79-59 victory. After being off for two weeks, the Storm showed little rust, turning a two-point halftime lead into a 22-point second-half advantage and closing out an impressive 20-point conference win.
The victory moves Lake Erie to 8-4 on the season and an even .500 in G-MAC play. The Storm return home for two straight contests this week, hosting Kentucky Wesleyan on Monday at 4 p.m. and Ashland on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Game Recap
Lake Erie jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, holding the Dragons scoreless for the first 4:30 of action. That start, however, didn't reflect the rest of the half, as Tiffin quickly responded and settled into a competitive battle. After 12 minutes, the game was tied 17-17 in a defensive slugfest, and shortly after, the Dragons took their first lead of the afternoon.
The Storm answered back down the stretch and carried a narrow 36-34 advantage into the halftime break, setting up a pivotal second half for both sides.
After a brief standstill coming out of the locker room, Trace Bishko ignited the offense by knocking down three consecutive three-pointers, giving Lake Erie its first double-digit lead of the game. Tiffin responded with five straight points to keep things within reach, but the Storm quickly shifted gears. What was once a 54-48 contest turned into a commanding lead in the blink of an eye, as Lake Erie surged ahead and never looked back.
From there, the Storm continued to pour it on, maintaining a double-digit cushion the rest of the way and sealing a dominant conference victory over a G-MAC rival.
Analysis
Following a two-week layoff, the season now ramps up quickly for Lake Erie, with this matchup serving as the first of four games in just seven days and ten total contests in the month of January.
The Storm's defensive intensity proved to be the difference, as they forced Tiffin into 22 turnovers, well above the Dragons' season average of 14 per game.
Holding an opponent under 60 points in 2026 is no small task, with players placing an increased emphasis on shooting development and offenses becoming more efficient at creating open looks. Lake Erie rose to the challenge, limiting Tiffin to just 59 points and only two made three-pointers on the afternoon.
Offensively, the Storm continued a recent trend, hitting double-digit three-pointers for the third straight game. When Lake Erie finds success from beyond the arc, the difference is evident. Bishko led the charge, finishing 4-for-7 from deep and providing a key spark in the second half.
The Matchup
With the win, Lake Erie extends its all-time series advantage to 18-12 over Tiffin. After splitting last season's meetings, the Storm have now claimed back-to-back wins against the Dragons, punctuated by Saturday's dominant performance.
Looking Ahead
Lake Erie returns to action Monday afternoon, hosting Kentucky Wesleyan at 4 p.m. The Panthers enter the matchup at 8-5 on the season, with notable wins over Ashland and Tiffin, and losses to Ohio Dominican, Findlay, and most recently a 30-point defeat at Cedarville on Saturday.
Kentucky Wesleyan has shown a stark home-road split this season, posting an 8-1 record at home but struggling to a 0-4 mark away from Owensboro.
The Panthers are led by Lavonte Harris, who averages over 13 points per game. Harris leads the G-MAC with 36 made three-pointers and ranks second in the conference in three-point percentage at 49.3 percent. Keeping track of him at all times will be critical for the Storm defense.
After leading the conference in free-throw percentage last season at 76.2 percent, Kentucky Wesleyan has seen a sharp decline, currently ranking last in the G-MAC at 62.3 percent. Fortunately for the Panthers, they don't get to the line often, ranking third-lowest in the conference in free-throw attempts per game.
