Jan. 9, 2010

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Allendale, Mich. - The Grand Valley State bench came alive on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 9), owning a 39-7 advantage over Lake Superior State's reserves in a 75-66 home victory for GVSU. Sophomore center Nick West notched his first career double-double, totaling game-high honors of 17 points and 10 rebounds for Grand Valley State, which shot 51.1 percent from the field in the big home win.

GVSU has now won five straight games to improve to 9-3 on the year with a 5-2 GLIAC record. Grand Valley State has won five straight games at GVSU Fieldhouse Arena and is 6-1 this season at home. The loss puts Lake Superior State at 8-5 on the season and 6-2 in league play, as LSSU was in first place in the GLIAC North Division entering the game. It was GVSU's second game in a five-day span that will have it facing off against Ferris State on Monday night (Jan. 11). This past Thursday night (Jan. 7), the Lakers defeated Saginaw Valley State with a two-point come-from-behind victory.

Lake Superior State sprinted out to a 7-2 lead behind three-pointers from Kyle Hunt and Scott Perkins, but a trifecta from sophomore Wes Trammell and a jumper from guard Alvin Storrs knotted the game at 7-7. An old-fashioned three-point play from West put GVSU ahead 10-7 and it would not trail again the rest of the game, although Lake Superior State kept right up with Grand Valley State the following 33 minutes. With GVSU on top 27-23, West slammed home a dunk and made a pair of free throws to up the lead to 31-23. LSSU's Micah Hudson would drain a three-pointer with two seconds left in the half, closing the Grand Valley State lead to 34-28 at intermission.

The teams were fairly even at halftime except for in the shooting department. GVSU notched a 52.4 percent clip and made 10-of-14 free throws, while Lake Superior State made 41.7 percent of its shots and 4-of-10 three-pointers. Both teams had 14 rebounds and five assists, while Grand Valley State owned a 17-5 lead in bench points and a 14-6 advantage in points in the paint. West had 10 points in the opening half.

LSSU opened the second half on an 11-5 run that tied the score at 39-39, but it could not take the lead at any point in the final 20 minutes. Immediately after Lake Superior State's run, GVSU scored seven straight points on a Storrs jumper and layups from freshmen Breland Hogan and Nick Carreri. Hogan then split a pair of freebies to push the lead to 46-39 at the 11:55 mark.

Grand Valley State held a semi-comfortable advantage throughout the rest of the half until K'Len Morris knocked down a trifecta to make the score 65-56 with 3:28 left. Nearing the two-minute mark, junior Toreau Brown scored on a layup, and Trammell and Carreri both sank two more free throws to extend the lead to 13 points at 71-58 with 1:37 left in the game. GVSU would continue to make free throws down the stretch and connected on 15-of-22 freebies in the final 20 minutes.

For the game, Grand Valley State shot 51.51 percent and made 25-of-36 free throws, while Lake Superior State only attempted 19 tosses at the charity stripe, connecting on 14 attempts. GVSU forced 17 LSSU turnovers and owned an 18-9 edge in points off of turnovers.

West played his best game in a GVSU uniform, as he went 5-of-5 from the field and 7-of-8 at the free throw line for 17 points, one shy of his career-high. His 10 rebounds were two shy of a career-high, set earlier this year against Saint Joseph's. West added a block in 22 minutes of work off the bench.

Junior forward Mike Przydzial totaled 11 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes, as he shot 3-of-4 from the floor and 5-of-7 at the line. Brown added 10 points, three boards, and two steals. Junior Justin Ringler tied a career-high with seven assists, while Storrs recorded seven points and picked up four steals for the third straight game.

GVSU takes its five-game home winning streak to the court again on Monday night (Jan. 11) against West Michigan rival Ferris State at 8:00 p.m.