After opening the season with five straight road games, going 2-3, the Yellowjackets finally had their home opener Saturday night against the Northland College Lumberjacks. While it might have been a home opener to forget, the Yellowjackets held off the Lumberjacks to pick up their third win of the season, winning 71-63, and improving to 3-3 on the year.
 
Depsite cold outside shooting for the entirety of the game, the Yellowjackets made up for it by going 29-of-37 from the free-throw line, outscoring the Lumberjacks by 24 points from the stripe. In the first half, The Yellowjackets struggled to put distance between themselves and the visitors. There were four ties throughout the first half and Superior's biggest lead was a modest seven points, as they ended the half on a 5-0 run to go up 30-23.
 
The Yellowjackets quickly built an 11-point lead, 40-29, in the opening minutes of the second half on two free-throws from Johnquez Brooks (North Las Vegas, Nev./Valley). But Northland responded with a 6-2 run to get to within seven before Caleb Burch (Eau Claire, Wis./Altoona) hit a three-pointer to extend the lead back to 10 points at 45-35. From the nine-minute mark to the end of the game, the two teams played within 10 points of each other. While Superior only shot 8-of-22 from the field in the second half, they made 23 free-throws en route to a 41-point second half. In the end, Superior held off Northland to earn the victory.
 
Superior was led by Brian Lindblom (Spooner, Wis./Spooner)'s 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Brooks had 14 points and eight rebounds, and Zach Schradle (Clayton, Wis./Clayton) recorded 12 and nine, respectively, finishing one rebound away from his second consecutive double-double.
 
Northland was led by Bryshaun Brown's 16 points.
 
Northland attempted 20 more field goal than Superior, but, as mentioned earlier, Superior outscored Northland by 24 points from the line. Superior recorded 10 steals and four blocks. Superior was 4-of-19 from the three-point line, but Northland struggled even more, going 2-of-16.
 
Superior will take on their rivals from the across the bridge, St. Scholastica, for the second time this season tomorrow night at The Mertz. In the previous meeting, the Yellowjackets and Saints played to open the season, with the Yellowjackets emerging with the win, 83-79. The opening tip is set for 5 p.m. Sunday.