Feb. 18, 2012

Box Score

DETROIT – Junior Briauna Taylor (Livonia, Mich.) led the Grand Valley State women’s basketball team with 26 points as the Lakers snapped a seven-game skid at Wayne State, 72-55, on Saturday afternoon in the Mathaei Center.

The win gives GVSU a 10-15 mark on the season and 7-11 record in league play, while the Warriors drop to 11-14 overall and 6-12 in GLIAC action. 

Grand Valley State jumped out in front early, taking a 17-8 lead with 12:37 left in the opening half.  Wayne State battled to within three twice over the next three minutes, but it was as close as the Warriors would get for remainder of the game.

Taylor scored 14 of her 21-first half points including a last second effort three-pointer that gave the Lakers a 41-27 lead heading into halftime.  Senior Kara Crawford (Winamac, Ind.) also scored seven of her 18 total points during the stretch.

Wayne State was able to shrink the GVSU lead to 41-30, but the Lakers sparked a 13-4 run to keep their distance for their first win since January 7.  Sophomore Breanna Kellogg (DeWitt, Mich.) hit a three-pointer to give GVSU its biggest lead of the game, 66-44 with just over five minutes to play in the game.

The Lakers have not held a 20-plus point lead since January 7 when it won at Lake Superior State.  It is also the first time since that same game that GVSU has not given its opponent a lead.

Taylor’s season-high 26 points came from an 8-for-17 outing from the floor including three trifectas and going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.  Taylor also grabbed a team-high eight boards, dished out two assists, had two blocks and one steal.

Crawford added 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting and two from the long range, while going a perfect 4-for-4 from the line.  The senior had six rebounds, four assists and five steals on the day.

The Lakers shot an impressive 24-for-29 from the line for an 82 percent clip and their best total in five games.  For the game, GVSU shot 42.9 percent on 21-of-49 from the floor, while Wayne State was held to just 34.5 percent shooting (20-58).

Phaebre Colbert’s 14 points led Wayne State, while Amelia Davis added 12.  The Warriors were able to pick up 14 steals on the Lakers’ 21 turnovers.

GVSU closes out its regular season schedule with its West Michigan rival, Ferris State, on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m.