Lourdes tipped off its 2015-2016 basketball season on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 77-69 exhibition game to Lake Superior State at Cooper Gymnasium in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
 
"Lake Superior is a tough team that gave us great competition," head coach Andre Smith said afterwards.  "We played hard, but have lots to work on.  We had way too many turnovers.  I thought we played hard enough to win, but not smart enough to win."
 
Twelve straight points in a four-minute span gave the Lakers an early nine-point lead, as part of a 22-7 spurt that allowed the hosts to open up a 29-14 lead with 6:33 to play in the first half.  Lourdes closed the deficit to 12, 40-28, at intermission, but Lake Superior State scored the first six points of the second half with a pair of three-pointers, and eventually led by as many as 20, 50-30.
 
The Gray Wolves battled back with a 26-9 run, closing to within three, 59-56 following a pair of free throws by Julian Johnson (Columbus, Ohio/Horizon H.S.) with 6:34 to play.  A three-point play by Johnson less than a minute later made it a two-point contest, 61-59, but that would be as close as Lourdes would get.
 
"I think we did a great job of climbing back into the game, but we just got too tired," Smith added.
 
Lake Superior State answered with nine straight points to end any hopes of a Lourdes comeback.
 
E.J. Blackwell (Rochester, Pa./Rochester H.S.) led Lourdes with 24 points while Anthony Swanigan (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike H.S.) added 19 points for the Gray Wolves.  Lourdes shot 46.7% from the floor, including 58.3% after the break, but committed 23 turnovers in the contest.
 
Devin Daly led four Lakers in double figures with 19 points.  Lake Superior State outrebounded Lourdes 37-28 for the game, including 17-8 on the offensive end, to make up for 37.9% shooting on the day.  Zach Steinmetz (Toledo, Ohio/Saint John's H.S.) led Lourdes on the glass with 10 boards.
 
Lourdes will open the regular season on Friday evening as the Gray Wolves travel to Chicago, Ill. to face Saint Xavier.  Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. EDT at the Shannon Center.