Dec. 6, 2010

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Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State had little trouble with visiting Olivet on Monday night (Dec. 6), as the #16 Lakers rolled past the Comets by a 79-45 score in non-conference action. GVSU used an 18-0 run midway through the first half to open up the game, as the Lakers improve to 6-0 on the year at home. 11 different GVSU players scored in the game and four Lakers reached double-figures in the win.

In improving to 6-1 on the year and winners of three straight, Grand Valley State shot 48.4 percent from the field and made seven three-pointers. The 79 points were the team's second-fewest of the season, yet GVSU, which entered the game with a +22.5 scoring margin (best in the GLIAC), still won by 34 points. Olivet (5-3), a Division III institution, shot just 27.1 percent from the field and made only 4-of-20 three-pointers for a 20.0 percentage. GVSU's defense caused 18 Comet turnovers, as the Lakers scored 17 points off those miscues.

Olivet actually scored the game's first four points, as the Comets' Michael McClary put in two buckets in the opening minute. The Lakers trailed 10-8 with 11:37 remaining, but then busted out for an 18-0 run that spanned nearly seven minutes on the clock. GVSU's spurt started with a pair of free throws from freshman Asauhn Tatum and the Lakers got back-to-back layups from junior Nick Waddell and senior K'Len Morris. Waddell scored on another layup, which was followed by a three-pointer from junior Wes Trammell, upping the lead to 19-10.

Two free throws from sophomore Tony Peters were followed a minute later by a fast break dunk from sophomore Nick Carreri. Trammell split a pair of freebies and Tatum sunk a jumper to put the Laker advantage at 26-10 with 5:07 remaining. With time expiring in the first half, senior Justin Ringler drove to the hoop, scored on a layup with one second left, and was fouled. He made the free throw to convert the old-fashioned three-point play and put GVSU ahead comfortably by a 39-20 advantage.

Grand Valley State led 53-34 with exactly 13 minutes remaining in the second half before using a 16-0 run to blow the game wide open. Ringler converted another three-point play and senior Mike Przydzial, playing in his first game of the season due to recovery from an injury last season, drained a pair of free throws for his first points of the year. Carreri and sophomore Breland Hogan connected on consecutive layups and Morris drained a three-pointer from the corner, assisted from Hogan.

Morris scored again 38 seconds later on a layup, but the punctuation mark was put on the 16-0 streak by a tip-in dunk that Tatum threw down off a missed Laker attempt. After Tatum's slam, GVSU led 69-34 and the 35-point cushion was far too much for Olivet to overcome. Grand Valley State's bench play was also too much for the Comets, as the Laker subs owned a 39-3 edge in bench points. GVSU also owned considerable leads in points in the paint (42-14), fast break points (12-0), and second chance points (12-4).

11 Lakers scored, while 14 different players saw action. Ringler led four players in double-figures, as he scored a team-best 13 points and tied for team-highs with six rebounds and four assists. Morris produced 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 13 productive minutes off the GVSU bench. Grand Valley State also received strong play from its center position, as Waddell and Tatum each scored 10 points. Waddell was 5-of-6 from the field and pulled down four rebounds, while Tatum was 4-of-6 from the floor en route to his career-high 10 points.

Junior James Thomas added seven points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Trammell supplied seven points, a pair of three-pointers, three rebounds, and three assists. Hogan had a solid overall statline, tying his career-high of six rebounds, while adding four points, four assists, and a career-best four steals. Junior Alvin Storrs, named the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week earlier on Monday, dished out a game-high five assists.

GVSU heads onto the road for its next five games and the Lakers will not play at home again in 2010. Grand Valley State will play at Northwood on Thursday (Dec. 9), with its first road GLIAC game this season beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Midland.