GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Even though the Davenport women's basketball team never trailed against visiting Lake Superior State on Thursday, it was a nervous win until late in the game as the Panthers pulled away for a 75-64 win over the Lakers in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action. DU had a balanced score sheet with four players in double figures improving to 4-8 overall and 2-3 in the conference. LSSU shot just 33.3 percent from the floor falling to 5-7 overall and 0-5 in the GLIAC.

Davenport scored the first six points in a span of three minutes to start the game and force a 30-second timeout by Lake Superior State. It seemed to shift momentum as the Lakers went on to tie the game at 10 as Morgan Villemure scored all 10 points. DU closed out the final 3:10 of the quarter on a 9-2 run to lead 21-12. DU went inside to score 14 points in the paint during the first quarter.

The Panthers increased their lead to 26-15 at the 8:10 mark of the second quarter as Natalie Tucker canned a three-pointer. Tucker connected again just over a minute later to make it 29-15. She scored 11 of her 13 points in the first half to pace the Panthers. Davenport maintained a double-digit lead until 41 seconds left until halftime after a split at the free throw line by Villemure. LSSU stayed in the game despite shooting 1-of-13 from the floor in the quarter by going 11-of-12 at the foul line.

The Panthers pumped their lead back up to 48-32 with 3:43 left in the third quarter and it looked like they would run away with it. The Lakers trailed 55-44 at the end of the third quarter and were down 61-46 with 6:41 left in the contest. The lead shrank to 63-58 with 1:44 to play but Toni Grace hit a layup and completed the three-point play with a free throw. Amanda Merz then hit a pair of free throws for a 68-58 lead with 1:10 remaining to seal it. DU shot 12-of-15 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

LSSU shot 33.3 percent from the floor and 81.8 percent at the foul line. DU shot 41.7 percent from the floor and 69 percent at the charity stripe. Jenna Falkenberg finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in 29 minutes. Merz scored 16 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. Grace scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half. Tucker grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists in a team-high 32 minutes.