Feb. 14, 2007

Box Score

Houghton, Mich. - #10 Grand Valley State improved to 21-3 overall and 12-3 in conference play with a 69-64 overtime victory on the road against Michigan Tech (13-13, 8-9). Junior Callistus Eziukwu led the way for the Lakers with a season-high 25 points and six rebounds. The win marks the first time in school history that GVSU has posted a perfect 6-0 record against the Upper Peninsula schools (Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, and Lake Superior State). The Lakers will close out the home portion of their schedule on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 8 pm in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena against Hillsdale.

The contest had a dismal start as the two teams combined for four turnovers and eight missed shots in the opening 3:20 as neither team could get on the scoreboard. Callistus Eziukwu was the first to strike connecting on a layup to give the Lakers a 2-0 advantage. Mike Hall followed with back-to-back baskets to give Grand Valley a 6-2 edge before the host Huskies cut the lead to one after Kevin Maloney connected on three free throws.

GVSU then rolled off a 7-0 run that was capped off by a Kyle Carhart layup with 11:18 to play in the half. Eziukwu struck again with 8:28 to play to give Grand Valley its largest lead of the half at nine (17-8). Over the next five minutes, Michigan Tech scored 11 of the game's 15 points to cut the lead to two (21-19). A three-pointer by Carhart upped the lead back to five before a layup and a pair of free throws by MTU's Frederick Bowe cut the margin to one. Freshman Wilbur Ampey knocked down a free throw with 46 seconds remaining in the half to provide the 25-23 halftime margin.

Eziukwu came out firing in the second half scoring GVSU's six points in the opening three minutes, extending the lead to six (31-25). Then both teams were hit with another scoring drought as neither team could tickle the twine for more than 2:15 until the Huskies' Georgio Holt connected on a three at the 13:43 mark.

The three-pointer would be a turning point for the Huskies as they would tie up the contest on their next possession with another three-pointer. The lead would change hands or be tied seven times over the next three minutes. Michigan Tech stretched the lead to as many as six with 5:27 to play in the game before the Lakers stormed back.

GVSU answered with an 8-0 run in a three minute span as Eziukwu knocked down four free throws, Carhart added a layup, and senior Mike Hall connected on a layup of his own. L.J. Kilgore gave the Lakers a four point lead with 1:06 to play as he drilled a three-pointer before Kris Alpers converted a three-point play less than 20 seconds later. On the Lakers next trip Eziukwu converted a layup for what looked like the game sealing basket. Robby Springborn spoiled the happy ending tying the game at 54 with a three-pointer with seven seconds remaining in the game to send the game to overtime.

Michigan Tech claimed an early three-point advantage in the overtime session as Alpers added another three-point play. Senior Dan Redder responded by tallying four consecutive free throws to give GVSU a one point advantage (58-57). The Lakers would hold onto that advantage the rest of the way outscoring the Huskies 11-7 in the final minutes of overtime for the 69-64 victory.

Eziukwu led all scorers with a season-high 25 points knocking down 9-of-12 shots from the field and 7-of-11 shots from the charity stripe. Redder and Eziukwu combined for 43 of Grand Valley's 69 points as the senior from Zeeland added 18 points off the bench. Carhart poured in nine points off the bench and dished out two assists. All five Laker starters pulled down at least five rebounds on the night led by guard Jason Jamerson's game-high eight.

The pair of wins at Michigan Tech marks the first time since the 1988-89 season that both the men's and women's squads each claimed a win in the SDC Gym. That season the men also claimed an overtime decision (87-85), the women posted a 75-62 victory. GVSU will host Hillsdale in a GLIAC doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 17 beginning at 6 pm in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. GVSU holds the all-time series record against Hillsdale with a 44-27 mark and have won six straight home matchups against the Chargers.