Canton, Ohio—The Grand Valley State women's basketball team returned to form on Saturday, getting ahead early and cruising to an easy victory against Malone in Canton, Ohio, 89-42. Bailey Cairnduff led the Lakers with 18 points (7-9 FG, 4-6 3-PT), and Kayla Dawson added 17 (7-7 FG) for Grand Valley, which moves to 10-4 on the season, and 5-3 in the GLIAC.
 
The Lakers got off to a hot start, hitting their first five shots of the game, including three 3-pt baskets, to grab an early 14-7 lead before their first miss of the game. After that, the Lakers would score the next nine points, opening the lead to 23-7 with 2 ½ minutes left in the first quarter, turning five Pioneer turnovers into 10 points in the first quarter alone.
 
After the 1^st quarter ended with the Laker leading 27-12, the second quarter gave way to a run by both teams. The Lakers opened the second with a 5-2 run, followed by a Malone run of 7-3 to get the score to 35-21. After a second Laker run of 6-2, the second quarter was capped off by a Bailey Cairnduff offensive rebound and putback to send the Lakers into halftime with a comfortable 45-27 lead.  At the break, Cairnduff and Dawson each had 15 points.
 
In the second half, the Lakers tightened up on defense, allowing just seven points in the third quarter and eight in the final period. The Lakers would force 22 Malone turnovers in the game, and more importantly, get 37 points off of those turnovers, all while holding the Pioneers to just 31 percent (13-42) from the field and 20 percent from the field (3-15). The win marks the fourth opponent in five games that has been held under 50 points, and shot less than 40 percent from the field.
 
Offensively, the Lakers were quite efficient from the field, converting on 54 percent (33-61) from the field, and 43 percent (13-30) from beyond the arc. The Lakers two top scorers, Cairnduff and Dawson, combined to shoot 14-16 from the field. Also in double figures for the Lakers were Korynna Hincka, with 15 points and nine boards, and Brionna Barnett, with 11 points.  The Lakers outrebounded the Pioneers handily, 35-23, including 13 offensive rebounds, which contributed to an 11-2 edge in second chance points.
 
Grand Valley held an impressive 38-10 edge in bench points, as well as a 34-20 edge in points in the paint.
 
Grand Valley returns to action on Thursday, January 14^th with a home contest against Northern Michigan at GVSU Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, Michigan. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.