at Tiffin (Friday, 8:00 p.m.): Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes
 
at Ohio Dominican (Sunday, 3:00 p.m.): Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes
 
After a season-opening seven game homestand, the Grand Valley State men's basketball team hits the road for the first time during the regular season. The Lakers travel to Ohio to take on Tiffin and Ohio Dominican in a Friday-Sunday GLIAC doubleheader.
 
On Friday night (Dec. 11), GVSU will face Tiffin at 8:00 p.m. before matching up with Ohio Dominican on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 13) at 3:00 p.m. These are the first two of 12 regular season road games for the Lakers, 11 of which are in conference play.
 
There are links above to follow along to the radio broadcast of both games, as well as links to follow the live stats. The games will be aired on WTKG-AM 1230 and WMUS 107.9 FM, with fifth year play-by-play announcer DJ Foster calling the action.
 
All three teams got off to a rough start in the opening weekend of GLIAC play, as all three enter this weekend with matching 0-2 records. The Lakers fell in a pair of close contests in Allendale, dropping a 76-72 overtime decision to Ashland last Thursday (Dec. 3) before falling 84-78 to Lake Erie on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 5).
 
Prior to that, GVSU had won five straight games to start the year. The Lakers ended their season-long seven-game homestand with a 5-2 mark. One constant in the early part of the season has been Grand Valley State's rebounding. Through all seven games, the Lakers have outrebounded their opponents (including rebounding margins of +16, +24, +8, and +8) and own a +9.7 rebounding margin, the best mark in the GLIAC.
 
The Lakers are allowing opponents to shoot just 39.0 percent from the field and score only 65.4 points per game, the second and third-lowest marks in the league. GVSU also attempts the most free throws per game (28.7) and owns the third-most makes (19.4) per game of any GLIAC team. Grand Valley State's 48.3 field goal percentage is fourth-best in the conference.
 
Junior guard Luke Ryskamp is leading the team with 16.0 points per game,as Ryskamp has reached double-digits in each of the last five games and done so in six of seven games this season. Senior forward Ricardo Carbajal is putting up 11.6 points per game and has five double-figure scoring efforts so far. Carbajal is also just 47 points away from becoming the 33rd member of GVSU's 1,000 point club.
 
Tiffin is also 0-2 in GLIAC action, with a 3-4 overall record this season. The Dragons began the year with a 3-1 record, including wins over Alderson-Broaddus, Lambton, and West Virginia State. The team's only loss during that time was a 78-76 defeat to Kentucky Wesleyan. Since then, Tiffin has lost three straight games to Indianapolis, Hillsdale, and Saginaw Valley State, with the latter two coming on the road.
 
The Dragons are the GLIAC leaders in offensive rebounds per game (15.9), a full 1.5 rebounds more than second-place Wayne State. Not surprisingly, Tiffin is second in the league in total rebounds (43.9) and fourth in defensive rebounds (28.0) and rebounding margin (+5.9). TU blocks the third-most shots (3.6) per game and allow the fifth-lowest three-point percentage (30.8) in the league.
 
Offensively, the Dragons have struggled, ranking 14th of 16 teams in the league in field goal percentage (42.4) and three-point percentage (32.1), while placing 13th in the GLIAC in both three-pointers made (6.0) and attempted (18.7).
 
Senior forward Khaleal McCormick averaged 20.5 points per game in Tiffin's first two games, but has not played in the last five games. Sophomore guard Tony Kynard is averaging 17.1 points and 5.0 assists per game, while shooting 27-of-34 at the free throw line. Fellow sophomore guard Alex Brown is scoring 11.7 points per game and has connected on a team-best 11 three-pointers, while adding a team-high 13 steals.
 
Ohio Dominican is 3-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play. ODU, like Tiffin, started the season with a 3-1 record before dropping its last four games. The Panthers earned victories over Maryville, Truman State, and Silver Lake, while only suffering a 92-87 loss at Notre Dame (Ohio) in its opening four contests. From that point, Ohio Dominican has suffered defeats to St. Joseph's, Illinois-Springfield, Saginaw Valley State, and Hillsdale.
 
Seven of ODU's first eight games have been true road games or at a neutral site. The Panthers have been a pretty good rebounding team to start the year, ranking fourth in the league in offensive rebounds per game (13.0) and sixth in both total boards (39.6) and rebounding margin (+5.4). Ohio Dominican also has the fifth-fewest turnovers per game (11.6) and sixth-most assists (14.8).
 
Also like Tiffin, the Panthers have struggled to shoot the ball from the outside. ODU is last in the league with a 28.0 three-point percentage and its 5.6 made triples per game is 15th out of 16 teams. Conversely, Ohio Dominican is allowing opponents to connect at a 40.2 clip from beyond the arc, the fifth-highest mark of any GLIAC team.
 
Senior forward Trent Weaver, an All-GLIAC Preseason South Division First Team selection, is leading the team in both points (17.4) and rebounds (10.3) per game and shooting 54.5 percent from the floor. Sophomore guard Ronnie Williams, the GLIAC South Division Player of the Week on Nov. 23, is averaging 12.6 points per game and has made 15-of-41 triple tries so far. Sophomore guard Shemar Waugh is posting 10.6 points and 4.6 assists per game for the Panthers.
 
After this weekend road trip, Grand Valley State closes out the 2015 calendar year with a road game at Cedarville next Saturday (Dec. 19) at 4:00 p.m.