Findlay Falls 79-68 at Lake Erie

Box Score

Postgame with Charlie Ernst (Tim Montgomery – 88.3 WLFC)

Painesville, Ohio – The University of Findlay men's basketball team dropped a Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) contest 79-68 at the hands of Lake Erie College on Thursday, Feb. 2. That loss gives the Oilers a 12-9 record overall and a 7-6 mark in the G-MAC while Lake Erie improves to 12-8 overall and 9-5 in the conference.

The Storm always play tough at home and early on in Thursday's game, that again would prove true. Findlay and Lake Erie went back-and-forth early with the Oilers holding an 11-9 lead through five minutes of play. Over the next minute, a layup and a triple by the home team put the Green and White ahead for good.

A glimmer of hope would come with three minutes remaining when freshman Khalil Luster drilled a triple to pull Findlay, which battled back from a double-digit deficit, to within five at 70-65. But, after a defensive stop by the Oilers, a turnover gave the Storm an extra possession which turned into a three of their own.

Senior Joey Edmonds hit a triple to make the score 73-68, but with just one minute to play, Findlay was forced to foul. The Storm would hit their free throws down the stretch to pick up the win.

Lake Erie held the advantage shooting the basketball (43%-to-40%) and hit 15-of-35 (42.9%) from deep to gouge the Oilers' defense. Rebounds were nearly even at 36-35 in favor of Findlay, but 15 turnovers by UF turned into 19 points for the Storm, a critical factor in Thursday's outcome.

Freshman Jagger Landers led the way with 16 points and also had a team-high seven rebounds off the bench. His minutes were increased due to foul trouble to senior Nathan Bruns, who would finish with 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 17 minutes of action.

Edmonds also scored in double-figures, thanks in-part to a 5-for-5 effort from the charity stripe. He added four rebounds.

Freshman Khalil Luster and sophomore Josh Thorbahn each scored nine points while senior Deven Stover added eight. Senior Eisley Swaine led the team with five assists off the bench.

It does not get any easier for the Orange and Black who will head to take on Walsh on Saturday, Feb. 4 before the longest road-trip of the season next week, a trip that will see them head to Owensboro, Ky. and Nashville, Tenn.