SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - Lawrence Tech University closed its home schedule in emphatic fashion Saturday afternoon, riding a blistering effort from beyond the arc to a 97-79 win over Lourdes University at Don Ridler Fieldhouse.
The Blue Devils seized control in the first quarter and never relinquished it, turning crisp ball movement and perimeter shooting into a double-digit cushion. Lawrence Tech finished 15-of-36 from 3-point range and assisted on 25 of 36 made field goals, building a 48-36 advantage after the opening 20 minutes and steadily extending the margin the rest of the way in the final home game of the season.
Michael Afrakoff led Lawrence Tech with 21 points, going 7-of-13 from the floor and knocking down six 3-pointers to pace the perimeter attack. Lake McIntosh added 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting and filled the stat sheet with seven assists, helping orchestrate an offense that shot 52.2% overall (36-of-69) and 90.9% at the free-throw line (10-of-11). Vuk Zarubica controlled the glass with a game-high 15 rebounds as the Blue Devils held a 39-29 edge on the boards.
Lourdes briefly held the upper hand early, going up 9-4 on a 3-pointer from Derek Fairley and a transition dunk by Adonus Abrams. Lawrence Tech quickly answered, however, with a series of stops and threes that flipped the momentum and set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. Afrakoff capped the first quarter with a 3-pointer in the final minute to send the Blue Devils into the break leading 48-36, a double-digit margin they would not surrender.
The Blue Devils' three-point barrage intensified in the second quarter, where they connected 10 times from long range to keep Lourdes at arm's length. After the Gray Wolves cut the deficit to 50-41 on a Stephen Coleman Jr. 3-pointer early in the second, McIntosh responded with a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 10 at 55-45. Later in the quarter, a 3-pointer from Damien Thompson stretched the advantage to 67-51, and McIntosh hit another triple in the final two minutes to make it 96-75, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Defensively, Lawrence Tech limited Lourdes to 4-of-18 shooting (22.2%) from beyond the arc and forced the visitors into relying heavily on free throws to keep pace. The Blue Devils also protected the ball efficiently, committing 10 turnovers while Lourdes finished with only seven assists on 30 made field goals, underscoring the contrast in ball movement and offensive execution.
Coleman Jr. and Jayden Jones led Lourdes with 16 points apiece, with Jones going 8-of-9 at the line and grabbing seven rebounds. Fairley added 15 points for the Gray Wolves, who shot 43.5% from the field but could not overcome Lawrence Tech's early surge and sustained perimeter efficiency.
With the win, the Blue Devils closed their home slate on a high note, showcasing the balanced scoring, rebounding presence and perimeter shooting that will be critical as they turn their attention to the final stretch of the regular season and postseason play.
