vs. Findlay
Thursday, 8:00 p.m.
Radio: WTKG-AM 1230
Listen | Watch
Live Stats | Game Notes
 
vs. Ohio Dominican
Saturday, 7:00 p.m.
Radio: ESPN 96.1 FM
Listen | Watch
Live Stats | Game Notes
 
After seven non-conference games to begin the 2016-17 season, Grand Valley State is kicking off GLIAC play this weekend in Allendale. The Lakers will welcome Findlay on Thursday night (Dec. 1) for an 8:00 p.m. tipoff in the conference opener before GVSU hosts Ohio Dominican on Saturday evening (Dec. 3) in a 7:00 p.m. start.
 
Four of Grand Valley State's six December games will be inside the Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, where the Lakers are 3-0 so far in the 2016-17 campaign. Overall, GVSU enters this weekend's competition at 4-3 on the year. Findlay is bringing in a 3-1 record to Thursday's game, while Ohio Dominican will start this weekend trip to Ferris State and GVSU with a 4-1 mark. It is the first GLIAC games of the season for all three teams.
 
Thursday's game will be aired on WTKG-AM 1230, while Saturday's contest can be heard on ESPN 96.1 FM. Sixth-year play-by-play voice DJ Foster will call all the action this weekend for the Lakers. Fans can watch or listen to the games through the links at the top of this page.
 
The Lakers most recently defeated Salem International in the consolation game of the SJC Thanksgiving Classic in Rensselaer, Ind. last Saturday (Nov. 26). GVSU jumped out to a 45-23 halftime edge and captured the 92-68 victory thanks to a 53.1 field goal percentage and 12-of-29 shooting from three-point range.
 
Grand Valley State's three-point shooting has been a strength of the team through the opening month of the season. Last year, the Lakers recorded 10 or more three-pointers in just three of their 29 games. In only seven games this year, GVSU has nailed double-digit triples four times already, including four of the last five contests. The Lakers are averaging 8.9 made three-pointers per game and shooting the trey at a 38.3 percent clip.
 
In Saturday's victory over Salem International, a pair of GVSU players recorded impressive achievements, one a career highlight and the other a rarely done single-game accomplishment. Senior guard Luke Ryskamp became the 34th member of Grand Valley State's 1,000 Point Club with a three-pointer just 22 seconds into the game. He enters this weekend with 1,015 points and is leading the Lakers with 13.3 points per game.
 
Junior center Drake Baar poured in a career-high 23 points against Salem International, shooting a perfect 10-for-10 from the field. It was the first time a Laker has went 10-for-10 from the floor since Callistus Eziukwu posted the same 10-for-10 statline against Saginaw Valley State in 2005. Two other former GVSU players - Robert Allen and Randy Parlor, both in 1985 - have gone 10-for-10, which is the program record for field goal makes in a game without a miss.
 
Baar - who is averaging 11.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.5 percent from the field - shot 7-of-7 from the floor in the second half of that game en route to his career-high point total. Along with Ryskamp and Baar, senior Trevin Alexander is averaging double-digits and nearly notching a double-double every night. Alexander is averaging 10.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, while leading GVSU in blocks (eight) and second in assists (21) and steals (11).
 
Getting back to three-point shooting, Ryskamp leads the team with 15 trifectas (at a 39.5 percent clip), with sophomore Zach West (13 triples, 56.5 percent) and Alexander (11 treys, 37.9 percent) following close behind. Over the last five games, Grand Valley State has made 11, 11, 14, 8, and 12 three-pointers, going 4-1 during that stretch.
 
At 3-1 overall, Findlay has won its last two games, earning victories at Trevecca Nazarene (85-63) and at home over Cedarville (86-76). The Oilers' lone loss was a 96-80 defeat at Fairmont State on Nov. 15. Findlay is 1-1 in true road games.
 
Junior guard Martyce Kimbrough is pacing the Oiler offense at 18.0 points per game, while shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 51.7 percent from three-point range (15-of-29), and 92.9 percent at the charity stripe (13-of-14). Kimbrough's classmate, forward Taren Sullivan is scoring 17.8 points and posting a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 61.4 percent from the floor. Guard Elijah Kahlig adds 10.5 points per game and is 11-of-23 from downtown.
 
Findlay leads the all-time series by a 19-11 margin and has won five of the last six meetings after GVSU won three straight in the series from 2010-11. Last year, the Lakers fell in Allendale to the Oilers, 82-66.
 
At 4-1 overall, Ohio Dominican is just four points shy of being undefeated, as the Panthers' only loss was a 99-95 home overtime loss to Saint Joseph's (Ind.) on Nov. 19. ODU has wins over Johnson C. Smith, Seton Hill, Malone, and Gannon, with three of those four coming away from its home court in Columbus. The Panthers are 2-0 in true road games this season, including the recent 66-56 win at Gannon.
 
Junior guard Ronnie Williams leads ODU with 15.8 points per game, has drained 13 three-pointer and is shooting 81.8 percent at the line, while passing for 22 assists. Freshman forward Hasan Varence is putting up 14.0 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game, while notching a ridiculous 71.8 field goal percentage this season. Another junior guard Shemar Waugh is notching 10.8 points per game, has handed out a team-best 27 assists, and is shooting 48.6 percent from the field.
 
GVSU is 6-0 all-time against Ohio Dominican, having defeated the Panthers once every year since 2010. The Lakers are 3-0 against ODU in Allendale. Last season, Grand Valley State was victorious 85-79 in Columbus over the Panthers.
 
Next weekend (Dec. 8-10), GVSU heads to Hillsdale and Walsh for its lone road contests in December. The Lakers will close the 2016 calendar year with home games against Tiffin and Ashland on Dec. 17-19.