Jan. 2, 2014

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - The Grand Valley State women's basketball team rang in the new year with an 80-69 victory over Hillsdale on Thursday (Jan. 2) night in Allendale. A pair of efficient shooting performances by junior forward Kat LaPrairie and sophomore guard Bailey Cairnduff allowed the Lakers to improve to 4-1 in GLIAC play and 6-3 overall.

LaPrairie, who entered the game shooting just 29.7 percent from the field, went 7-of-9 en route to a season-high 18 points. The Rockford, Mich. native also drained 3-of-5 attempts from beyond the arc.

Cairnduff found her shooting stroke as well. She scored a career-high 16 points and collected five rebounds. Thursday night marked the sixth straight game Cairnduff finished with at least 10 points.

Senior guard Dani Crandall and freshman guard Taylor Lutz combined for nine assists, while freshman forward Kayla Dawson matched her career-high with 11 points and grabbed seven boards.

As a team, the Lakers knocked down 7-of-15 three-pointers, their highest percentage (46.7) of the 2013-14 season. GVSU also had a decisive advantage at the foul line as it converted 23-of-30 freebies to Hillsdale's 6-of-10.

LaPrairie's first basket of the game gave GVSU a 15-13 lead at the 11:49 mark of the first half, but Hillsdale promptly regained a four-point advantage with a back-to-back threes from Kelsey Cromer.

The Lakers eventually trailed 31-24 with less than seven minutes to play before they closed out the opening half on a 16-5 run.

GVSU doubled its four-point lead in the opening 1:06 of the second frame, but did not gain much separation until it went on a 9-0 run to go up by 56-41. At the 10:37 mark, LaPrairie poured in a three to kick start an 11-0 stretch that gave the Lakers their largest lead of the contest (74-51).

The Chargers chipped away at the deficit down the stretch, though, they never got close enough to give GVSU any anxiety.

Next up for the Lakers is a 1:00 p.m. EST clash with Findlay on Saturday (Jan. 4) at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.