The Lourdes men's basketball team (18-8, 12-8 in WHAC) lost to Lawrence Tech (15-11, 11-9 in WHAC) 79 to 97 on Saturday afternoon at the Don Ridler Fieldhouse.

The matchup could be a potential WHAC Tournament preview as Lourdes is currently the No. 4 seed while Lawrence Tech sits a game back as the No. 5 seed. The two teams have split the season series but share very different upcoming schedules on their search for grabbing the last spot in the WHAC Tournament's top four seeds.

Lourdes faces 10^th-place Northwestern Ohio and last-place Siena Heights. Lawrence Tech's schedule is a bit tougher with matchups against third-place Rochester Christian and a feisty seventh-place Cleary team that swept Lourdes this year.

1^st Half
The Gray Wolves offense came out of the gate on fire, going on a 12 to 7 run with buckets made by four different starters. One of those players was sophomore guard Derek Fairley, who ended up having 13 points in the first half to lead all scorers. Fairley only scored two points in the second half but still was the Gray Wolves' third highest offensive performer.

Despite the fast start, Lourdes' offense began to cool off as Lawrence Tech's started heating up. The Blue Devils went on a 17 to 12 run to tie the game up at 24 apiece with 10 minutes left to play. The offensive intensity and pace of play was off the charts for both teams, especially in the first half of the game.

Towards the last 10 minutes of the first half, senior guard/forward Stephen Coleman Jr. began to be the Gray Wolves' primary offensive force, scoring 11 points total in the half and tying Jayden Jones with a team-leading 16 points in the game.

Coleman Jr.'s physical driving ability and improved free throw shooting helped Lourdes keep pace with the taller and more efficient Blue Devils offense. This resulted in just a five point Lawrence Tech lead with five minutes to go in the half.  

However, the Blue Devils went on a crucial 11 to 4 run to end the half, swinging complete momentum of the game going into halftime. Michael Afrakoff came off the bench and played great for Lawrence Tech on both ends of the court. The sixth-man would eventually lead all scorers with 21 points in the game.

2^nd Half
The Gray Wolves' two leading scorers, Fairley and Coleman Jr. combined for seven points in the second half, allowing Lawrence Tech to take advantage and pull away with the 18-point victory.

Other Gray Wolves did step up though to push for a potential comeback. Sophomore guard Adonus Abrams had a 10-point second half and 12 points total in the game. Freshman guard J'Siah Jefferson also had a solid game with 11 points. The game was his first in the starting lineup since his mid-season injury.

Additionally, freshman guard/forward Jayden Jones produced 16 points off the bench, with 15 in the second half alone. Jones tied his career-high in scoring that he set last week at Aquinas. He now has eight double-digit scoring games off the bench for Lourdes and has settled in nicely as one of the top scoring threats coming off the bench. He's also been reliable for Lourdes, playing in all 26 games this season with one start.

Despite the Lourdes offense producing five players with double-digit points, the defense couldn't stop Lawrence Tech in the second half. The Blue Devils shot just under 50% from the field and 47.6% from the three-point line in the final 20 minutes. 

Stats
The difference in the game was Lawrence Tech's efficiency throughout the contest. The Blue Devils outshot the Gray Wolves 52.2% to 43.5%. LTU also shot the ball nearly 20% better than Lourdes did from outside the three-point line and 19% better from the free throw line. However, Lourdes did have a season-low six turnovers in the game, winning the turnover battle by four.

Coach DuPree's Postgame Comments
"It was a tough one today," Coach DuPree said. "We weren't disciplined enough on either end, and it showed. We were out played and out coached."
 
Next Up
Lourdes will look to break their late-season slump against Northwestern Ohio on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 pm on the road in Lima, Ohio. The last time the Racers and Gray Wolves matched up, Lourdes won 111 to 107 in a double overtime thriller.