HAMMOND, Ind. – Purdue Northwest men's basketball earned a series split by outlasting Lake Superior State, 88-86, Saturday afternoon inside the Fitness & Recreation Center.
 
With the win, PNW improved to 2-2 (2-2 GLIAC) while continuing its best start in GLIAC play since joining the conference in 2017. Lake Superior State also moved to 2-2 (2-2 GLIAC) on the season.
 
HEAD COACH BOOMER ROBERTS
"It's a bummer we didn't have fans in the gym today, because it was a great college basketball game. Both teams were physical and competed hard, which is expected every time we play Lake State. We did a better job today of keeping our poise, and then we really controlled the glass. Vince was a monster on the boards, AB took on the tough assignment of guarding Bassett and was efficient on offense, and Jyro was good around the rim and on the perimeter. Kell played great, helping get us off to a better start, and we fed off his first half. Their guards are good too, but Tripps and Ant got some big stops and then made the right reads on the other end. Overall, it was a very good team win against a good and tough opponent."
 
STAT LEADERS
Jyrus Freels led PNW in scoring for the second straight game as four Pride players reached double figures on Saturday. Freels led with 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting, finishing the two-game series averaging 22.0 points while shooting 76 percent (19-25) from the field. The senior also hit a 3-pointer for the third straight game and now has more three's this season than his combined total in the 89 previous games of his collegiate career.
 
Guards Mikell Cooper and Gregory Boyle each knocked down three 3-pointers, finishing with 18 and 15 points, respectively. Cooper led the Pride with 14 points in the first half and closed the game with a season-high six assists and no turnovers.
 
Anthony Barnard went 6 for 6 from the field with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and a block. Barnard also led a tough defensive effort by guarding LSSU's top interior threat, Kemon Bassett who was held to 12 points after averaging over 20 points entering the game. Vincent Miszkiewicz dominated the glass to grab a career-high 16 rebounds, including eight on both ends of the floor, along with dishing out a career-high seven assists. Miszkiewicz and Barnard each had highlight-reel dunks in the second half, as well.
 
Additionally, Anthony Irvin and Xavier Allison played key minutes off the bench as each made a key shot down the stretch late in the game.
 
For LSSU, David Wren led five players scoring in double digits with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Colvin had 16 points while Adams and Kemon Bassett recorded 15 and 12, respectively. Robinson chipped in with 10 points for the Lakers.
 
SUMMARY
PNW came out with high-level energy and knocked down shots early in the game to grab a 20-11 lead. Freels got the scoring started with back-to-back jumpers to open the contest.
 
The Pride also led by nine, their largest lead of the day, when a pair of Boyle free throws gave the Black & Gold a 29-20 advantage. However, LSSU answered with an 8-0 run to make it a back-and-forth game in the rest of the first half.
 
After going into the locker room tied 42-42 at the break, PNW trailed by as much as eight early in the second half when LSSU moved ahead 56-48 following a Nigel Colvin jumper. The Lakers maintained a single-digit lead until Irvin's jumper near the 14-minute mark put the Pride back in front, 60-59. The 9-1 run to get back within striking distance was sparked by a Boyle 3-pointer.
 
Then, the two teams traded baskets over the next few minutes as the Lakers clung to a two-point lead in an ultra-competitive second half.
A pair of highlight-reel plays from Anthony Barnard and Xavier Allison put the Pride back in the lead. Barnard's putback, two-handed slam at the 11:30 mark tied the game at 66-66, and then Allison's steal and fastbreak finish put the Pride ahead, 68-66, in front a minute later.
 
The Lakers responded as Brandon Allen drilled an open three, but the Pride had the final counterpunch on the next possession. Irvin rebounded his own miss and drained a 3-pointer to give PNW a 71-69 lead with nine minutes left to play. The Pride would not trail the rest of the game.
 
Another Boyle triple put PNW up eight and swung all the momentum as LSSU was forced to call a timeout with nearly four minutes left, trailing 82-74.
 
The Lakers made a late push with a 10-4 run and trimmed the deficit to two following a Malek Adams 3-pointer, making the score 86-84 with 1:18 remaining.
 
Then, following a turnover with 10 seconds left, PNW was forced to hang on at the buzzer as the Lakers' C.J Robinson double-clutched a desperation three from the left corner wing and it came up short.
 
KEY TEAM STATS
Both teams recorded overall team shooting percentages over 50 percent, but PNW shot 64 percent in the second half. The Pride owned the glass with a 40-22 rebounding advantage, including a 15-5 margin in offensive boards.
 
NEXT UP
PNW travels to Grand Rapids, Michigan next weekend for a two-game series against Davenport. The Panthers (0-4) are winless following an 88-75 setback against Wayne State on Saturday. Tipoff times are scheduled for 4 p.m. CST on Friday, Jan. 22 and noon CST on Saturday, Jan. 23.