Nov. 27, 2010

Box Score

Highland Heights, Ky. - For the first time this season, #4 Grand Valley State ended up on the wrong side of the scoreboard, falling on the road to #25 Northern Kentucky by an 81-65 score on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 27). In the Lakers' first road game of the season, GVSU fell to a Norse team that shot 48.0 percent from the field and made 11 three-pointers, while knocking off Grand Valley State in Highland Heights, Ky.

Northern Kentucky (4-0) scored the game's first five points before the Lakers (3-1) answered with consecutive buckets from James Thomas and a tip-in from Justin Ringler. The Lakers stayed close at 13-10 after a jumper from sophomore Tony Peters before NKU scored seven straight points and pushed out to a 20-10 advantage at the 12:16 mark. Freshman Asauhn Tatum slammed home a dunk, stopping the Norse run and making the score 20-12, but that would be the last time the Lakers would be within single-digits for the rest of the game.

NKU hit back-to-back three-pointers, taking a 14-point advantage at 26-12, but the Lakers kept the score close at 38-25 after a jumper from Tatum were the final points of the first half. In the opening 20 minutes, GVSU shot just 32.0 percent from the field (8-of-25) and connected on only 1-of-7 three-pointers, while Northern Kentucky made 48.3 percent of its shots. NKU pulled away by making 7-of-15 three-pointers for a 46.7 percentage.

Grand Valley State cut the lead to 10 points early in the second half after a layup from Ringler and a three-pointer from sophomore Breland Hogan. That made the score 40-30 with 17:52 remaining, but Northern Kentucky scored 11 of the game's next 12 points and lead 51-32 with an even 15 minutes left. GVSU responded by scoring the next six points on a pair of free throws from junior Nick Waddell, a layup from Peters, and another layup from Ringler, making the score 51-38.

To continue the game of runs, NKU scored the next eight points and owned a 21-point lead (59-38) with 12:10 left. Trailing by 18 points with three minutes left, the Lakers scored seven straight points on a Waddell layup, a three-pointer from Alvin Storrs, and a jumper from Hogan, making the score 75-64 with 1:40 remaining. But that is as close as GVSU could get, with Northern Kentucky earning the regional matchup victory.

For the game, Grand Valley State shot 38.0 percent from the field, but did connect on 88.9 percent of its free throws, making 24-of-27 attempts at the charity stripe. NKU shot 48.0 percent from the floor and made 22-of-32 freebies, along with 11-of-27 three-point attempts. Both teams totaled 32 rebounds, while GVSU recorded just one more turnover (12-11) than did the Norse.

Ringler led the Lakers with 18 points, while adding seven rebounds, and a career-high five steals. Hogan supplied 11 points and a pair of assists, while Waddell scored 11 points in 18 minutes off the bench. Storrs tallied nine points and four boards, while sophomore Nick Carreri pulled down six rebounds.

GVSU returns to the floor on Thursday (Dec. 2) in the team's GLIAC opener. The Lakers will welcome in Ohio Dominican for a 6:00 p.m. matchup in Fieldhouse Arena.