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Houghton, Mich. – For the first time since 2009, the Grand Valley State women's basketball team is one game away from a chance to play for a GLIAC Tournament title. The Lakers, who have already notched their first 20-win season since the 2010-11 campaign, will square off with No. 9 Michigan Tech in the GLIAC Tournament Semifinals on Saturday (March 7).
 
Pulling off the upset will require a clean, efficient performance. Basically, an outing much like the one GVSU had in its 74-52 victory over Northern Michigan on Wednesday (March 4).
 
The fourth-seeded Lakers committed just three turnovers—their fewest in a game since at least 2002-03—and shot 48.8 percent from the field. They also knocked down 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) 3-point attempts and converted 13-of-15 free throws to cruise through the GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinals.
 
Two of the team's top performances came from sophomore forward Piper Tucker and junior forward Jammie Botruff. The duo combined for 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting.
 
GVSU's leading scorer, junior guard Brionna Barnett, pitched in 14 points and dished out seven assists. The Elkhart, Indiana native has tallied six or more assists, including a career-high nine helpers in a rout of Ferris State on Feb. 26, in three of the Lakers' last four games.
 
The fact GVSU won convincingly with quiet outings from sophomore forward Kayla Dawson and senior forward Kat LaPrairie, its second and third leading scorers, was a positive sign as well.
 
But, as it has in the two regular season meetings this season, the showdown with top-seeded Michigan Tech will likely boil down to defense. The Huskies got the better of the Lakers both times this year, limiting them to 33.3 percent and 29.1 percent shooting in those contests.
 
A positive for GVSU, though: Michigan Tech didn't shoot better than 37.7 percent in either matchup. The Huskies' 3-point shooting, normally a potent part of its offense, was kept below their usual percentage (38.1 percent, second-best in the GLIAC) as well.
 
Michigan Tech advanced to the quarterfinals with a 67-49 thumping of Hillsdale on Wednesday.
 
Although none of the Huskies rank higher than 17^th among GLIAC players in scoring, they have five players averaging at least 9.7 points per outing. Junior forward Danielle Blake leads the way for Michigan Tech at both ends of the floor, tallying 12.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 blocks per contest—all of which are team highs.
 
Tip off is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on Saturday.