at #24 Saginaw Valley State (Thursday, 8:00 p.m.): Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes
 
vs. Hillsdale (Saturday, 8:00 p.m.): Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes
 
On the heels of one of its best all-around efforts this season, the Grand Valley State men's basketball team looks to keep that momentum going this weekend with a pair of crucial GLIAC contests. The Lakers face #24 Saginaw Valley State on the road on Thursday night (Feb. 19) and return to Allendale for the home finale on Saturday night (Feb. 21) against Hillsdale. Both games are scheduled for 8:00 p.m. starts.
 
Last Saturday (Feb. 14), GVSU exacted revenge on Northwood by topping the Timberwolves, 80-62. The victory came just three weeks after falling against Northwood on its home floor by a 78-70 score. Grand Valley State is 11-14 overall and 7-12 in GLIAC play, but the Lakers are still alive for one of the final berths in the conference tournament.
 
Sitting two games behind Northwood and Hillsdale (who are tied for eighth place with a 9-10 mark) with only three regular season games left, GVSU still has a chance to advance to the league tournament. The Lakers need to win their final three games and get some outside help to earn the berth, but they have yet to be eliminated.
 
Both games can be heard on a pair of radio stations; WTKG-AM 1230 is the flagship for Laker basketball and carries both the men's and women's games. WMUS-FM 107.9 also airs the men's contest. All games can be heard online; click the link above to access iHeart radio. Fans can also watch the Hillsdale game on Saturday by clicking on the 'Watch' link.
 
Grand Valley State put together a great performance in Saturday night's 18-point win over the Timberwolves. After taking a 9-8 lead early in the first half, GVSU would hold the advantage for the final 35 minutes of the game. Five Lakers reached double figures, as the team shot 45 percent from the field and made 28-of-34 free throws.
 
In outscoring Northwood 48-37 in the final 20 minutes, GVSU shot 56 percent from the floor and made 18-of-22 freebies. Junior Ricardo Carbajal notched his third double-double of the season (and second in three games) by posting game-highs of 23 points and 13 rebounds. The forward was 7-of-10 from the field and 9-of-9 at the line, while adding three assists, a block, and a steal.
 
Four Laker guards also scored in double digits. The starting backcourt of senior Ryan Sabin (17 points, 5-of-9 field goals), sophomore Luke Ryskamp (16 points, five rebounds), and junior Darren Kapustka (11 points, four rebounds, three assists) combined for 44 points in the win.
 
Junior guard Aaron Hayes scored 10 points in just 16 minutes, as he made 5-of-7 free throws in his first game since Dec. 20, 2014 after returning from an injury. Those five players combined to score 77 of the team's 80 points.
 
Perhaps more importantly was the Lakers' defensive effort. Northwood guards Dylan Langkabel, Maurice Jones, and forward Will Bowles entered Saturday's contest with a combined scoring average of 46.5 points per game. Langkabel did score 16 points, but Jones (three points) and Bowles (seven) helped the trio reach just 26 combined points in the loss.
 
Northwood shot just 35 percent from the field and went 3-of-23 from three-point range, as the Lakers held NU to 25 first half points.
 
Saginaw Valley State (20-5 overall) is tied for first place in the GLIAC standings with Lake Superior State, as both teams own 16-3 conference records. They have both clinched a berth in the GLIAC Tournament and will host a conference quarterfinal game. SVSU defeated Lake Superior State twice this season, thus holding any tiebreaker that could happen at the end of the regular season.
 
A positive for Grand Valley State is that four of SVSU's five losses this season have come on its home floor. Saginaw Valley State is 12-4 at home in 2014-15, but are even better (8-1) on the road. That lone defeat was a 75-70 final at Michigan Tech last Saturday afternoon, the team's most recent contest.
 
Before that, SVSU had won four straight games, including home wins over Hillsdale and Lake Superior State. The Cardinals lost at home to Bellarmine and Lewis in November, and Michigan Tech and Ferris State in January.
 
Sophomore forward CJ Turnage is one of the top all-around players in the league, ranking third in field goal percentage (62.0), ninth in scoring (14.6 ppg.), 11th in total rebounds (142), and 11th in assists (73). Sophomore guard Garrett Hall puts up 13.5 points per game and has knocked down 46 three-pointers, while junior point guard Kellen Smith is third in the league with 149 assists and fifth with 45 steals.
 
Hillsdale (11-12 overall, 9-10 GLIAC) has went just 1-4 since defeating GVSU by a 73-65 score on Jan. 31. The Chargers' only win in the last five games came last Saturday in a 61-49 victory at Northern Michigan. Before that, Hillsdale had lost five straight road games, all of which are by 10 points or less, including three losses of less than five points.
 
The Chargers do have more road wins (six) than home victories (five), while they are also 0-2 at neutral sites. Currently tied with Northwood for the final playoff spot, Hillsdale plays Ferris State (this Thursday) and Saginaw Valley State (next Thursday), with both games coming at home.
 
Junior forward Kyle Cooper ranks first in the GLIAC in made field goals (172), rebounds per game (10.3), total rebounds (237), and defensive rebounds (192), while his 20.0 points per game is second-highest of any player in the league. The only other Charger scoring in double figures is freshman guard Stedman Lowry, who is scoring 10.5 points per game on the strength of 52 three-pointers.
 
After this weekend, Grand Valley State will head to West Michigan rival Ferris State for the 2014-15 regular season finale next Thursday (Feb. 26). Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.