March 4, 2006

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - Sophomore guard Jason Jamerson scored 23 points and senior guard Courtney James added 19 points and 11 assists to help Grand Valley State capture a 90-77 GLIAC Tournament semifinal victory Friday night at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena over Ashland University. GVSU will host West Michigan rival Ferris State in the GLIAC Championship game Saturday at 8 p.m.

Grand Valley State and Ferris State shot the lights out of the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena in the first half of Friday's semifinal. GVSU hit 10-of-16 three-pointers and hit 56.7 percent from the floor en route to 48 points, while the Eagles scored 43 points on 58.3 percent shooting from the floor and 8-of-13 from three. Callistus Eziukwu hit a pair of free throws to up the Laker lead to seven (50-43) early in the second half, but Ashland quickly answered and found themselves down by just one (52-51) at the 17:02 mark. James hit a three, followed by a Jamerson three and then another James three to push the Laker lead up to 10 (61-51). Eziukwu hit a jumper in the paint and Jamerson hit yet another three to up the Lakers' lead to 15 (66-51). Another Jamerson bucket upped GVSU's lead to 18 (81-63) with 6:39 left in the game.

AU scored 10 straight points to cut the Laker lead down to eight (81-73), but a three by James and a pair of free throws by forward Mike Hall gave GVSU an 86-73 lead with 3:33 remaining.

GVSU hit a single-game, school-record 16 three-pointers (25), bettering the previous record of 15. GVSU shot 57.4 percent from the floor (31-54), and 64.0 percent from the three-point line. GVSU turned the ball over just 12 times and dished out 19 assists on 31 buckets. Ashland hit 21-of-25 free throws and 10-of-23 three-pointers. Callistus Eziukwu chipped in 12 points, while Pete Trammell added seven and Dan Redder 10 for the winners. Courtney James set a GLIAC single-game record with his 11 assists.

Notes...Grand Valley State is 12-4 all-time in nine GLIAC Tournament appearances with four GLIAC Tournament titles. GVSU's four tournament titles (1990-91; 1991-92; 1996-97; 2000-01) leads the GLIAC. The Lakers are 4-0 in GLIAC Tournament Championship games...Grand Valley State is #6 in the NABC/DII Coaches poll. The number six national ranking is the highest-ever ranking for the Lakers...GVSU's 26 wins this season marks the second-best, single-season win total in school history. Only the 1976-77 (30), and 1990-91 (26) teams have won as many or more games in a single-season. In addition, the Lakers' 16 GLIAC wins tied the 1976-77 team for the most GLIAC wins in a single-season...Grand Valley State was second in the latest NCAA DII Great Lakes Regional rankings...The Lakers'current 16-game winning streak set the NCAA DII school-record for consecutive wins. The 1976-77 Laker team won 21 straight games en route to a 30-4 record when GVSU was participating as an NAIA school...GVSU has won 20-of-21 games since the Dec. 8 loss at Ferris State.