Nov. 28, 2011

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

ALLENDALE, Mich. - The Grand Valley State women's basketball team jumped out to a 50-30 halftime lead and never looked back as it downed visiting Urbana, 85-45, on Monday night at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.

The Lakers improve to 2-2 on the season including two home wins, while Urbana drops to 1-5.

Junior Brittany Taylor (Livonia, Mich.) led all scorers with 21 points (9-for-12), tallying her fourth straight double-figure outing. Redshirt sophomore Kellie Watson (Ionia, Mich.) and senior Kara Crawford (Winamac, Ind.) added 13 and 10 points, respectively.

Every Laker tallied a basket except junior Briauna Taylor (Livonia, Mich.), but she did have a game-high seven rebounds along with sophomore Breanna Kellogg (DeWitt, Mich).  Senior Jasmine Padin (Wyoming, Mich.) dished out a season-high seven assists while committing no turnovers.  The last time Padin had a game-high in assists and no turnovers was January 2, 2011 at Aquinas.

GVSU had a season-high 50 points in the first half, while also holding Urbana to a season-low 15 points in the second half and 45 points overall.

The opening seven minutes four lead changes and two ties before GVSU pulled ahead 20-12 at 12:04.  Urbana continued the pressure, but could not find a way to pull ahead. A short 15-7 run helped the Blue Knights pull within two, 27-25, at 6:03, but that would be the closest they would get for the remainder of the game.

At the 5:15 mark, Crawford sparked a 23-5 run with a three-point play and a trifecta, while Watson and Brittany Taylor added seven and five points, respectively, during the stretch. Freshman Meryl Cripe (Elmhurst, Ill.) notched the first basket of her career, a three with 1:18 remaining in the first.  Two more baskets gave the Lakers a 50-30 lead into the locker room.

GVSU came out shooting to open the half, ballooning their lead to 67-32 on Dani Crandall's jumper at 11:22 while only allowing only one Urbana basket for six minutes and 19 seconds. GVSU held the Blue Knights to only six total  field goals in the second half.

For the game, GVSU shot 45.3 percent on a season-high 34-for-75 from the floor, while holding the Blue Knights to just 28.8 percent (17-59).   The Lakers converted 31 points off Urbana's 18 turnovers, while limiting themselves to a season-low eight.  GVSU also held a 52-36 margin off the boards.

GVSU now begins GLIAC play on the road at Ohio Dominican on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m.  Live stats and live audio will be available on GVSULakers.com.