The Grand Valle State men's basketball team picked up an 89-79 GLIAC road win at Malone Saturday afternoon as senior guard Aaron Hayes scored a career-high 21 points and led four Laker starters in double figures. GVSU, which improved to 11-3 overall and 5-3 in GLIAC action, will host Northern Michigan Thursday (Jan. 14) at 8 p.m.

The first 13 minutes was close throughout with five lead changes and six ties. Malone built its largest lead of the game (24-19)  on a 3-pointer by Brandon Bapst at the 9:19 mark of the first half, but a Ricardo Carbajal three-point play, a dunk by Chaz Rollins and a layup by Hayes tied the game at 26-26 at the 8:02 mark. Freshman center Justin Greason hit a short jumper to give GVSU a 35-33 lead with 3:46 left in the first half and a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Trevin Alexander gave GVSU its largest lead of the first half (42-36). 

The Lakers opened the second half with a 9-2 run and when Hayes scored on a tip in just 3:06 into the second half GVSU led 51-38. Malone regrouped and went on a 15-2 run over the next five minutes and tied the game at 53-53 with 12:27 left in the contest. Alexander started a GVSU scoring run of its own with a layup, followed by a 3-pointer by junior guard Luke Ryskamp. Alexander added a jumper in the paint, senior guard Darren Kapustka hit a three and Rollins concluded the 12-0 run with a layup as GVSU built its lead to 65-53 with 8:13 remaining. The Lakers maintained a double digit lead for the final 6:28 and built its largest lead of the game (78-62) on a 3-pointer from freshman guad Zach West. 

GVSU shot 57.4 percent from the floor (31-54) and 56.3 percent from the 3-point line (9-16) for the game and dished out 20 assists on 31 made baskets. Six Lakers scored nine points or more, including four in double digits. Hayes hit 10-of-11 from the charity stripe and dished out four assists en route to his career-high 21 points. West scored 12 points and pulled down six rebounds, while Carbajal and Ryskamp each scored 10 points. Alexander and freshman forward Deshawn Lewis each chipped in nine points. Kapustka talliend six points and team-high seven assists.