ALLENDALE, Mich. — The GVSU women's basketball team returned home following a brief weekend road trip, as they welcomed in Purdue Northwest to the Fieldhouse. After a slow start, the Grand Valley offense erupted in the second quarter to ignite a 92-53 Laker win. With the win, head coach Mike Williams picked up his 400th career victory as a collegiate head coach.
The Lakers jumped out to a 7-1 lead following a Rylie Bisballe layup, but the Pride got it right back with a 6-0 run to tie it up. Grand Valley regained the lead and stretched it out to six points at 16-10 off two Bisballe free throws. PNW kept fighting, getting their deficit down to two on multiple occasions. It was a two points game late in the quarter, but Bisballe was fouled just before the buzzer, hitting both free throws to put GVSU up 22-18 after 10 minutes of play.
Grand Valley started the second quarter on a 14-0 run, propelled by threes from Hadley Miller and Abrie Cabana, to bring the lead up to 36-18. After a Pride layup, GVSU hit three consecutive triples, as Bisballe, Cabana, and Avery Zeinstra all connected from deep to start an 11-0 run. The two teams traded buckets to end the half, as GVSU held a commanding 53-30 advantage.
The Laker defense stifled the Pride all third quarter, only allowing eight points, as they outscored PNW by 13 to take a 74-38 lead into the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Molly Anderson and Nicole Kamin each hit a three to bring the lead above 40 at 86-44. The Lakers hit the 90-point mark for the third time this season following a Hadley Miller jumper, as they cruised to the 39-point win.
Nicole Kamin tied a career-high with 20 points, going 8-10 from the field. Rylie Bisballe and Megan Crow each scored 12 points, with Crow adding five boards. Abrie Cabana had 10 points, while Lexi Plitzuweit flirted with a triple-double, recording nine points, eight assists, and seven rebounds.
The Grand Valley State men's basketball team fell 67-66 to Purdue Northwest on a last second made shot Thursday (Jan. 27) night. The Lakers fall to 7-11 on the season and 4-4 in the GLIAC, while Purdue Northwest improves to 10-8 overall, 4-4 in the GLIAC.
Ethan Alderink extended his double figure scoring streak to ten games and leading the team tying a career high 16 points on 5-11 shooting including going 6-8 from the free throw line. Alderink also hauled in a career high 13 rebounds including five offensive boards. William Dunn scored 10 points including going a perfect 2-2 from downtown. Britain Harris scored 11 points off the bench and led the team with four assists.
GVSU shot 42% from the field and 70% from the free throw line. The Lakers outrebounded the Pride 34-30 and held Purdue Northwest to just four offensive rebounds. GVSU had 34 points in the paint to the Pride's 26.
The game saw seven ties and seven lead changes including four lead changes in the final minute of play. Harris gave the Lakers a one-point lead with nine seconds left but Purdue Northwest hit the game-winning shot with under a second left.
GVSU will close out the week on Saturday (Jan. 27) at 3:00 PM for Sawyers Day.
