at Saginaw Valley State (Thursday, 6 p.m. ET): Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes

vs. Hillsdale (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET): Video | Audio | Live Stats

Allendale, Mich. -- Senior night is always bittersweet. While it celebrates all the hard work and dedication put in over the course of an honoree's career, it also means a memorable journey will soon be coming to a close. Grand Valley State women's basketball seniors Meryl Cripe and Kat LaPrairie are slowly realizing the sand is piling up in the bottom half of their collegiate hourglasses.
 
"I can't believe it," says Cripe, referring to Saturday (Feb. 21), which could be her final home game as a Laker. "It's a culmination of everything I've worked for, and everything we've worked for as a team."
 
"I'm really excited for it," says LaPrairie. "It's such an accomplishment to finally get to this point. I really haven't started to process it, because I know there will be a lot of different things flying around in my head."
 
Players are not alone when it comes to being emotional about senior night. The coaches have a sentimental attachment to it as well.
 
"For me, it will be an emotional one because both these two have such great stories," says head coach Janel Burgess. "(The program) is going to miss Cripe's work ethic and drive to succeed; it will miss Kat's emotional excitement to play the game. Both have great pride when it comes to wearing the Grand Valley State uniform…they have truly embraced that."
 
LaPrairie's career started at Lake Superior State University back in 2007. After time away from school and basketball, the Rockford, Michigan native came through Burgess' office in 2012, hoping for a chance to get back in the game. She was granted that opportunity.
 
Three seasons later, LaPrairie is set to go down as one of the most prolific three-point shooters in GVSU history. Her 143 trifectas rank sixth in the school record book. Moreover, she is the only player in Laker history to make at least 140 threes in less than 97 games. If LaPrairie can maintain her 40.2 percent career three-point field goal percentage through the rest of the season, she will depart with the school record.
 
"This is just a great ending to a great career," says LaPrairie. "I'm honored, more than anything, to have gone to Grand Valley State. I'll definitely miss the band and the crowd, seeing where my parents always sit, and the bench; the whole energy and passion that comes from the game, not necessarily shooting or those types of things."
 
Cripe came to Grand Valley State from York High School in Elmhurst, Illinois. She's played in 99 games, making 46 starts along the way. As a point guard, Cripe has dished out 155 assists and tallied 71 steals. This season, she had one of the best performance of her career in a win over Lake Superior State, when she scored a career-high 11 points. Last season's home outing with Ferris State, one in which she distributed a career-best six assists, was yet another high note.
 
"I've learned a lot, had good laughs, matured, and the people I've met have been phenomenal," says Cripe. "My teammates have definitely made my four years here. If I'm having the worst day ever, I can come to practice, hang out with the team and laugh in a second."
 
But the senior night ceremony is not the Lakers' primary focus this week. After all, there are two GLIAC games on the docket, and both can have a significant impact on the team's postseason aspirations.
 
GVSU, which is ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Midwest Regional Rankings (the top eight teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament), must travel to Saginaw Valley State on Thursday (Feb. 19) and return home for a showdown with Hillsdale on Saturday.
 
These are two opponents the Lakers have already faced this year. They picked up a 69-59 win at home against SVSU, but dropped a tough 73-57 bout in Hillsdale.
 
The always dangerous Emily Wendling, who is averaging 15.6 points and 9.3 rebounds this season, leads an upset-minded SVSU squad. For Hillsdale, reigning GLIAC Player of the Year Megan Fogt's numbers may me down a bit this season, though, she is still putting up 13.0 points and nabbing 8.7 rebounds per outing.
 
Tip off for both games are set for 6 p.m. ET. Saturday's senior night ceremony will take place during halftime of the men's basketball game, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.