Dec. 5, 2009

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State took an 18-point lead to halftime and kept its foot on the gas in the second half, dropping visiting Ashland on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 5), 72-48. The Lakers shot a season-best 61.9 percent from the field and 11 different GVSU players scored in the win, which was Grand Valley State's second victory in a row.

The win puts the Lakers at 4-2 on the year with a 2-1 GLIAC mark, while Ashland falls to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play. After alternating wins and losses in its first four games, GVSU has defeated Tiffin and Ashland in the last three days. On Saturday afternoon, the Lakers scorched the nets in both halves and a dominating 35-21 rebounding advantage.

GVSU led early in the first half, 15-13, before going on an 18-0 run over the next 8:15 to put the Laker tally at 33-13 with just over five minutes remaining in the opening stanza. A jumper from freshman Breland Hogan, a three-point bomb from Nick Carreri, and a layup from junior forward Toreau Brown put GVSU on top, 23-13, but the Lakers were far from finished.

Junior Mike Przydzial connected on a jumper, sophomore point guard Wes Trammell drained a triple try, Brown scored three points on a free throw and a layup and sophomore Alvin Storrs dropped in a fast break layup to finish the game-changing run. Grand Valley State took a 36-18 lead into halftime.

In the first half, GVSU shot 60.9 percent from the field (14-of-23), but more importantly held Ashland to a 32.0 percent clip, as the Eagles made just 8-of-25 shots. Both teams had seven turnovers, but the Lakers recorded an 18-11 advantage on the boards and a 20-10 edge in points in the paint. GVSU scored 17 bench points in the first 20 minutes, while Ashland could muster just five points from its bench.

To squash any hopes of an AU comeback, the Lakers scored seven of the first nine points in the second half on two free throws and a three-pointer from Brown and a layup from junior Justin Ringler. Minutes later, a triple from Storrs, another jumper from Brown, and a lay-in from Carreri put the Lakers ahead by 27 points at 54-27. GVSU would cruise the rest of the way, as Ashland would not get within 18 points the remainder of the game.

Brown led all players with a career-high 22 points. He shot 8-of-9 from the field and 5-of-6 at the free throw line, while adding four boards and a steal. Storrs came off the bench and also produced a career-high with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, as he knocked down all three free throw attempts. He added five rebounds and two steals in 22 minutes of work.

Ringler had his first single-digit scoring performance of the season by putting up seven points and five boards, while Carreri collected six points and four rebounds. 11 Lakers scored and the GVSU bench outscored Ashland's reserves by a 34-24 margin. Grand Valley State led in points in the paint, 34-18.

GVSU is off until next Saturday night (Dec. 12) when the Lakers travel to Ohio to take on the defending Division II national champions, Findlay. That game will start at 7:30 p.m.