SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Despite a blistering first half from beyond the arc and a 12-point halftime lead, the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils could not hold off a second-half surge from Michigan-Dearborn in an 88-80 WHAC setback Thursday night at Don Ridler Fieldhouse.

The Blue Devils rode a barrage of 3-pointers to a 52-40 advantage at the break, knocking down 13 threes in the opening 20 minutes and leading by as many as a dozen. Michigan-Dearborn answered after halftime, outscoring Lawrence Tech 48-28 over the final 20 minutes behind steady free-throw shooting and a more efficient offensive attack.

Lawrence Tech set the tone early when Karem Sariaslan drilled a 3-pointer on the opening possession to put the Blue Devils on top 3-0. The outside shooting never really cooled in the first half, as Michael Afrakoff connected on multiple triples, including one during a stretch that pushed the lead to 11-5. The Blue Devils continued to share the ball and space the floor, and a late drive and finish from Ramon Zapater in the closing seconds of the half sent Lawrence Tech into the locker room up 52-40.

Michigan-Dearborn methodically chipped away after the break by attacking the paint and getting to the foul line. The Blue Devils' 3-point looks became more contested as the visitors tightened their perimeter defense, and the Wolverines capitalized on trips to the stripe, converting 16 free throws in the second half alone. The turning point came with 10:17 left, when Jackson Reynolds hit a 3-pointer to give Michigan-Dearborn its first lead of the half at 67-66 and swing momentum away from Lawrence Tech.

The Blue Devils continued to battle, using offensive rebounds and ball movement to stay within one or two possessions. However, a Michigan-Dearborn tip-in by Collin Miller with 5:48 remaining stretched the margin to 77-73, and Lawrence Tech was forced to play from behind the rest of the way. In the closing seconds, with the Blue Devils still within striking distance, Luc Laketa sealed the result at the line, knocking down a pair of free throws with 27 seconds remaining to create the final 88-80 margin.

Afrakoff led Lawrence Tech with 23 points, fueled by a 7-for-11 performance from 3-point range. Sariaslan added 12 points, including three 3-pointers, while also contributing on the glass and as a distributor. Damien Thompson chipped in 11 points with two made threes as the Blue Devils finished 15-for-38 (39.5 percent) from long distance. Lawrence Tech also held a 38-33 edge on the boards, including 13 offensive rebounds, and recorded 19 assists on 26 made field goals, illustrating a strong offensive flow for much of the night.

Michigan-Dearborn countered with greater efficiency inside the arc and at the free-throw line, shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 77.8 percent (21-for-27) at the stripe. Reynolds paced the visitors with 34 points, going 14-for-16 at the line and adding eight rebounds and three assists, while Laketa provided 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting and six rebounds.

Lawrence Tech's performance showcased a high-powered perimeter attack and stretches of strong ball movement that produced a double-digit advantage in the first half. The Blue Devils will look to build on that offensive rhythm and first-half energy while tightening second-half execution as they continue WHAC play this Saturday at home. .