In the final game of the 2015 calendar year, Lourdes battled with NCAA Division I foe Central Michigan for more than a half before a Chippewa run proved to be the difference as the hosts defeated the Gray Wolves 87-66 at McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, Mich.
 
The game was an exhibition contest for Lourdes, but counted in the regular season standings for Central Michigan.
 
"I was really pleased with our fight and effort today," head coach Andre Smith said afterwards.  "Hopefully we can take this momentum into Saturday when we return to our level of play.  Their athleticism and size took over in the second half and that caused us to get into foul trouble."
 
E.J. Blackwell (Rochester, Pa./Rochester H.S.) led all scorers with 23 points for the Gray Wolves while Daniel Steen (Wantirna South, Australia/Emmaus H.S.) added 10 points and a team-high six rebounds.  Lourdes was plagued by foul trouble most of the game, as two players fouled out, two finished the game with four fouls, and four more tallied three whistles.
 
Lourdes took a five-point lead, 11-6, seven minutes into the contest following a jumper by Zach Steinmetz (Toledo, Ohio/Saint John's H.S.), who finished the game with eight points.  The Gray Wolves maintained the lead through the midway point of the stanza, and after falling behind by a point, went back in front16-14 on a triple by Julian Johnson (Columbus, Ohio/Horizon H.S.).
 
The Gray Wolves continued to lead for most of the remainder of the opening 20 minutes before falling behind 37-33 with 2:10 to play before intermission.  Lourdes continued to battle, and a triple by Blackwell at the halftime horn tied the contest at 40 at the break.
 
Central Michigan (7-6) scored first in the second half and the Chippewas never trailed the rest of the game.  Lourdes kept the game close for a while, as a Johnson jumper with 13:41 to play had the Gray Wolves within two, 48-46.  A 19-2 run by the hosts over the next six minutes broke the game open, and gave the Chippewas a 67-48 lead heading into the final seven minutes. 
 
Lourdes played Central Michigan, the preseason favorite to win the Mid-American Conference, even the rest of the way, but the six-minute outburst by the Chippewas proved to be the difference.
 
The Gray Wolves finished the game shooting 50% from the floor and made 7-of-12 from three point range.  Lourdes also committed just 11 turnovers in the contest.  Central Michigan finished the day connecting at a 53.7% clip from the field and turned the ball over just eight times.
 
Braylon Rayson led Central Michigan with 19 points while Chris Fowler added 18 points.  Rayshawn Simmons scored 13 points and pulled down a game-high seven boards as the Chippewas outrebounded Lourdes 39-20 on the afternoon.
 
Lourdes (7-7) will return home on Saturday afternoon to host Madonna in a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference contest.  Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at Tam-o-Shanter.