Feb. 5, 2009

Box Score

Findlay, Ohio - Grand Valley State scored the final four points of the game, including a layup from junior forward Lauren Buresh with four seconds remaining, to pull out a thrilling 71-70 victory at Findlay on Thursday night (Feb. 5). GVSU snaps a two-game losing streak and improves to 16-4 overall, 12-3 in GLIAC play. The Lakers' 16 victories match last season's total number of wins.

In what was a prime example of a back-and-forth contest, the lead switched hands nine times in the second half. Findlay (11-9, 6-9 GLIAC) used an Audra Mihalic free throw with 1:27 remaining to go ahead 70-67. It was the last points the Oilers would tack on the scoreboard, as GVSU freshman guard Emma Veach nailed a pair of shots from the charity stripe with 1:16 left to cut the Findlay advantage to 70-69.

On their next possession, the Oilers missed a layup, but rebounded the missed shot. UF ran off the entire shot clock and a three-pointer from Ashley Westenbarger was no good, as Buresh retrieved the missed triple try. Findlay, which was under the foul limit, fouled GVSU twice in the closing seconds. With eight seconds remaining, Veach missed a jumper, Buresh picked up her seventh rebound of the game and scored on the putback with only four seconds remaining on the clock. Findlay was unable to get a shot off and the Lakers escaped with a strong road victory, improving to 6-3 on the road this season.

In the first meeting between the two teams, on Dec. 13 in Allendale, the Oilers knocked down 15 three-pointers, keeping them in the game despite an 85-74 loss. Findlay drained 12 trifectas on Thursday night, including one from guard Maggie Gompers in the opening minutes, as UF jumped out quickly to a 9-0 lead. The Lakers used a couple of triples from sophomore forward Kara Crawford and Buresh, with a layup from Veach, to make the score 14-10.

Grand Valley State would not lead in the first half, getting as close as 32-31 after a pair of freebies from Crawford with 43 seconds left. Findlay's Westernbarger connected on back-to-back three-pointers in the final 36 seconds to give the Oilers a 38-31 advantage at the half.

The Lakers would continue to battle, finally taking the lead at 43-42 on an old-fashioned three-point play from Veach at the 15:38 mark, making a layup and connecting on the ensuing free throw. Consecutive threes from sophomore guard Elizabeth Van Tiflin and Buresh extended the GVSU lead to 50-45, its biggest advantage of the night.

A pair of freshman guards, Kelly Kretz and Rachel Woodruff, would put in back-to-back layups in an 11-second span to put the Lakers ahead 58-54 before the GVSU offense went scoreless for the next 5:15 of the second half. However, the Laker defense stepped up and allowed just seven Findlay points in that timeframe, keeping the game close. Another Van Tiflin three-pointer, with 4:06 to play, tied the game at 65-65, setting the stage for Buresh's last-second heroics.

Four Lakers scored in double figures. Buresh tied her season-high with 12 points, one point shy of her career-high. She shot 5-of-6 from the field and made both three-point attempts in 23 productive minutes off the GVSU bench.

Van Tiflin recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The 11 boards are also a career-high, as she added 3-of-5 shooting from long distance. Van Tiflin pulled down six of GVSU's 20 offensive rebounds. Also pouring in 14 points was Veach, who added six rebounds and three assists. Crawford notched 11 points and haas scored in double figures in eight of the last 10 games.

With their 20 offensive boards, the Lakers recorded a dominating 28-2 advantage in second chance points. GVSU turned the ball over just 11 times, forced 15 Findlay miscues, and scored 20 points off UF turnovers. The Lakers also held a 34-22 lead in points in the paint.

The final stop of the four-game road stretch is on Saturday (Feb. 7). Grand Valley State heads to #7 Hillsdale for a re-match of the Dec. 20 game in Allendale, when the Lakers upended then-#6 HC, 71-69, for the Chargers' first loss of the season.