ALLENDALE, Mich.—Amidst a lively crowd in a GVSU Fieldhouse Arena adorned with the flags of more than 30 different countries, the Grand Valley State women's basketball team benefited from hot shooting and a strong defensive effort, along with 28 points from Kayla Dawson, to earn their fifth straight win, and ninth win on their home court this season by defeating Northwood University, 71-47 on Saturday night.
 
Dawson's 28 points tied her career high, set in a January 7^th loss to Walsh on the road. She scored in a variety of ways in this one, using layups, jumpers, three pointers and a perfect effort at the charity stripe (6-6).  Joining Dawson in double figures was forward Piper Tucker, who scored 12 points, hauled in five rebounds and dished out five assists.
 
In the first quarter it would be Northwood who started the game off firing, taking an early 5-0 lead. It would be 2 ½ minutes before the Lakers would get on the board, which they did courtesy a triple by Dawson, followed shortly thereafter by a Cairnduff trey to take the lead, 6-5.  After a Northwood layup by forward Jordyn Nurenberg, the Timberwolves would steal the ball right back, and get another layup, giving Northwood the 9-6 lead. The Lakers would then go on a 14-2 run, started by a jumper by Janae Langs, a layup by Dawson, and another bucket by Langs on consecutive possessions. Korynn Hincka would cap the run by collecting an offensive board and laying it back in as time ran out in the first, with the Lakers on top 20-11.
 
After shooting 53 percent from the field in the first quarter, the Lakers would score first in the second quarter and continue to extend their lead. A Dawson layup with six minutes left in the second quarter was followed by a Hincka jumper on the next possession, making it a 28-16 Laker lead. Northwood would convert on one free throw shot, which was followed by a Piper Tucker layup and a Janae Langs triple, giving Grand Valley a 33-17 lead with three and a half minutes left in the half.  The Timberwolves would add a layup before the half to cut the deficit to 33-19 heading into the break.
 
Coming out of the half, the third quarter belonged to Piper Tucker and Kayla Dawson. After Tucker hit a driving layup to begin the half, the Lakers got a stop, and Dawson nailed a triple to get the lead to 38-21. After a Northwood layup and a pair of Laker free throws by Brionna Barnett, Tucker would hit a triple, which Dawson would follow with a triple of her own to cap an 8-0 run, and a 13-2  start to the third quarter in GVSU's favor. After a Northwood jumper, Dawson went on a tear, hitting a triple, a layup and sinking two free throws on consecutive possessions, and finishing with 13 points in the quarter. Northwood would take advantage of sloppy play by the Lakers in the final minutes of the third quarter, scoring eight straight points to trim the lead to 53-33.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Lakers would outscore Northwood 18-14, trouncing any hope of a rally, and in doing so, would secure their fifth straight win. By holding Northwood to just 37 percent (20-53) shooting from the field, and limiting the damage done by forward Jordyn Nurenberg, the Lakers held their opponent under 60 points for the 11^th time this season. Nurenberg, who came into the game averaging 17.4 points per game, good for second in the GLIAC, finished with just 15 points and 10 rebounds on 6-11 shooting from the field. No other Northwood player finished in double figures, however, and the Timberwolves attempted just eight free throws, having averaged 21 per game coming into the contest.
 
Grand Valley won the battle on the boards, 33-29, with four players collecting five boards on the night, as well as the edge in points off of turnovers (16-8). Northwood, which drops to 10-8 (6-6 GLIAC) on the season, edged the Lakers in bench scoring 19-18, and scored more second chance points (10-4).
 
Next up for the Lakers is an away game against Saginaw Valley State on Thursday, January 28^th, before returning home to GVSU Fieldhouse Arena for a home tilt versus Hillsdale College on Saturday, January 30^th at 1 p.m.