SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Second-half shooting woes proved costly for Lawrence Technological University men's basketball on Saturday, December 8, as the Blue Devils fell to Concordia, 62-54, in Ann Arbor. Ty Searles (SR/Pontiac, Mich.) recorded a game-high 17 points.

Lawrence Tech (6-8, 3-4) dominated the glass, outrebounding the Cardinals (3-9, 2-5) 46-34. Despite shooting below 30-percent from the floor, LTU was much improved from the foul line, hitting 15-of-16. Eight of Searles 17 came from the charity stripe.

Concordia's defense held the Blue Devils to just 5-of-28 from beyond the arc and turned aside eight shots.

Aside from posting a low percentage from the field, turnovers became a deciding factor. Lawrence Tech gave up possession 16 times, while the Cardinals limited their turnovers to nine.

Searles' performance extended his streak of scoring in double figures every game this season. Jalen Bethel (FR/Columbus, Ohio) was 6-of-9 from the floor with 16 points. Isiah Cumberland and Alek Ivanovic (SO/Macomb, Mich.), along with Searles, led the team with eight rebounds apiece.

After heading into the locker room knotted at 28, Jerald Booker's three-pointer at the 16:22 mark gave Concordia its first double-digit lead of the game and was a part of a 14-4 run for the Cardinals. Concordia held an 11-point edge on three occasions, as late as with under four minutes to play. The closest the Blue Devils could pull within was six. Trailing 47-36, Sanna Sisawo (FR/Oak Park, Mich.) converted before Bethel came down and capitalized on an and-one opportunity next trip down the floor.

The first half was tightly contested, with LTU taking the early lead of 12-7 and holding it for the first seven minutes of the game. Then the Cardinals made back-to-back three pointers, taking their first lead and starting the back-and-forth tango between the two teams.

Concordia created a slight edge with three minutes left in the first half, but a pair of free throws from Searles pushed the Blue Devils to within two, setting up three-pointers from both Sisawo and Searles to tie up the game 28-28.

Lawrence Tech travels to Ashland, Ohio, on December 15 to close out the 2018 part of the schedule. Ashland, a NCAA DII program, is 8-0 on the season and 4-0 in the GLIAC.