March 5, 2006

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State went on a 21-4 scoring run midway through the second half and turned a 46-45 lead into a 67-49 advantage with 6:45 left in the game. GVSU went on to capture an 80-58 victory over West Michigan rival Ferris State in the GLIAC Tournament Championship game Saturday night in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. The victory was the Lakers' 17th straight and enabled GVSU to claim its fifth GLIAC Tournament title in school history. The Lakers are 5-0 in GLIAC Championship games.

Ferris State opened the game with the hot hand led for the first nine minutes. GVSU took its first lead of the game (19-18) on a Dan Redder free throw at the 11:01 mark. A jumper in the paint from Callustus Eziukwu, a three-pointer by Kyle Carhart and a layup by Mike Hall put GVSU up 39-31 with 2:41 left. Ferris State's Dennis Springs hit a layup and the Lakers were unable to get a last second shot to fall prior to half. FSU hit six three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes.

Ferris State's Julius Vines hit a pair of free throws with 11:47 left to cut the Laker lead down to one (48-47). Senior Jeff Grauzer answered with two from the charity stripe and L.J. Kilgore drilled a three from the wing to give GVSU a 53-47 lead. Eziukwu hit a shot in the paint, but FSU's Antwuan Holt connected on jumper to pull the Bulldogs within six (55-49). Carhart hit a three, Eziukwu scored a bucket and Carhart hit another three to give the Lakers a 63-49 lead. Eziukwu hit two more jumpers from the paint before Dennis Springs broke the FSU scoring draught with a pair of free throws. Hall, Eziukwu and Jason Jamerson scored six consecutive points to up the Laker lead to 22 (73-51). Senior guard Courtney James hit a three to give GVSU an 80-55 lead late in the games.

Eziukwu talled a game-hight 20 points and pulled down four rebounds, while Dan Redder scored 16 points and pulled down five caroms. Eziukwu and Redder connected on a combined 17-of-22 shots from the floor. Mike Hall and Kyle Carhart each scored 10 points for the Lakers.

Eziukwu was named the GLIAC Tournament MVP, while Kyle Carhart and Courtney James were named to the All-Tournament team. Grand Valley State earns the automatic bid into the NCAA DII Great Lakes Regional with the tourney crown. The Lakers will find out their fate on Sunday evening when the NCAA announces the 64-team bracket with regional sites.

Notes...Grand Valley State improved to 13-4 all-time in nine GLIAC Tournament appearances with four GLIAC Tournament titles. GVSU's five tournament titles (2005-06; 1990-91; 1991-92; 1996-97; 2000-01) leads the GLIAC. GVSU improved to 5-0 in GLIAC 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 27 wins this season marks the second-best, single-season win total in school history. Only the 1976-77 (30), has 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.

Streaking: The Lakers'current 17-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 21-of-22 games since the Dec. 8 loss at Ferris State.

GVSU went undefeated at home this season 17-0)...The Lakers set a single-game, school-record vs. Ashland with 16 made three-pointers...Senior guard Courtney James set the GLIAC single-game record for assists with 11 vs. Ashland.