vs. Ferris State (Thursday, 8:00 p.m.): Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes
 
Any basketball game between Grand Valley State and Ferris State is usually larger in importance, but this Thursday's (Feb. 25) regular season finale has tremendous playoff implications for both of the West Michigan rivals. GVSU and Ferris State will close out the 2015-16 regular season with an 8:00 p.m. tipoff inside the Fieldhouse Arena.
 
The rivalry game is the second meeting of the season between the schools, it is Senior Day for four Laker senior players, and both Grand Valley State and FSU are jockeying for better positioning in next week's GLIAC Tournament. It is also a White Out, as fans are encouraged to show their Laker support by wearing white and also by using the hashtag #BEATFERRIS on social media.
 
There are links above to watch the online webcast or listen to the radio broadcast of the game, as well as links to follow the live stats. The game will be aired on WTKG-AM 1230 and WMUS 107.9 FM, with fifth year play-by-play announcer DJ Foster calling the action.
 
Heading into Thursday night's game, GVSU is 17-10 overall and 11-10 in conference play, while the Bulldogs are 19-8 on the year and 13-8 in GLIAC action. While Ferris State has already clinched a postseason berth in the conference tournament, it is still trying to secure a home game in the GLIAC quarterfinals. The Lakers are tied with Northwood at 11-10; GVSU needs to defeat Ferris State and needs Northwood to lose its game at Lake Superior State to earn the final playoff berth and advance to the league tournament.
 
A victory for the Lakers (plus a Northwood loss) gets Grand Valley State into the tournament as the #7 seed and a likely opening round matchup at one of two Ohio schools: Ashland or Findlay. If Ferris State earns the win, the Bulldogs likely host Lake Superior State in the opening round, rather than playing a road game at LSSU.
 
Grand Valley State has split three consecutive weeks of games, ironically enough winning all three Thursday contests, but falling in every Saturday game that follows. The Lakers have alternated wins and losses in all seven February games, but have won their only two games in Allendale: against Lake Superior State (84-70) on Feb. 11 and topping #12 Saginaw Valley State (76-73) on Feb. 18.
 
The Lakers shot an even 50.0 percent from the field and owned a 38-32 rebounding edge in topping the ranked Cardinals last Thursday. It marks the second time in the last two seasons that Grand Valley State has defeated a ranked SVSU team. Four of GVSU's five starters reached double-digits, led by 21 points from Luke Ryskamp and 17 points from Aaron Hayes. Seniors Ricardo Carbajal (14 points) and Chaz Rollins (11 second half points, eight rebounds) also tallied double figures in the win.
 
Unfortunately, GVSU couldn't carry over that success to Saturday's road game at Hillsdale, falling to the Chargers by a 77-70 final. The Lakers battled back from a 15-point first half deficit to make the halftime score 32-28. Grand Valley State continued the comeback in the second half and actually took a 65-59 lead with less than four minutes remaining before the Chargers notched a 17-0 run to take control of the game.
 
Hayes was outstanding in the second half, totaling all of his career-high 24 points in the final 20 minutes. He was 8-for-12 from the field and 7-of-7 at the free throw line in just the second half. Dating back to at least the 2002-03 season, no other Laker has ever scored as many points in one half as Hayes did on Saturday. Carbajal and Rollins each added 11 points.
 
GVSU and Ferris State met on Feb. 1 in Big Rapids, with the Bulldogs earning a hard-fought 74-71 victory. In the final 37 seconds, FSU's Drew Cushingberry made 3-of-4 free throws to split the 71-71 tie and give Ferris State the win. Since that meeting, Grand Valley State is 3-3, while the Bulldogs are 2-4 and have lost four straight games.
 
In the loss at Ferris State, Rollins provided a game-high and season-high 22 points and added a team-best 11 rebounds, while Hayes (13 points), Carbajal (13 points, 11 rebounds), and Ryskamp (10 points) all reached double-digits. While GVSU led in rebounds (42-37) and offensive boards (15-9), Ferris State shot better than the Lakers from the field (49.0 to 42.4 percent), three-point range (9-3 made triples) and at the free throw line (15-12 makes).
 
The Bulldogs are in the midst of a season-long four-game losing streak; Ferris State had not lost more than one game in a row before the current skid. Those losses came against teams either already in the GLIAC Tournament or fighting to earn a berth: Northwood (91-84), Lake Superior State (87-80), Hillsdale (88-70), and Saginaw Valley State (88-79). Only the SVSU loss was on the road.
 
Prior to falling at Saginaw Valley State, FSU had won five straight road games, including wins over three of the teams it just lost to: Northwood, LSSU, and Hillsdale. Overall, Ferris State is 9-3 on the road this season.
 
Senior center Jared Stolicker leads the Bulldogs with 15.8 points and a GLIAC-best 10.6 rebounds per game. His 78 blocked shots are also 15 more than any other player in the league. Stolicker's 62.9 field goal percentage ranks fourth in the conference. Senior forwards James Chappell and Josh Fleming are averaging 12.7 and 12.2 points, respectively.
 
Prior to Thursday night's game, four Laker seniors will be honored and recognized: Carbajal, Hayes, Rollins, and Darren Kapustka. It will be the quartet's final game inside the Fieldhouse Arena, but perhaps GVSU will have at least one more game next week in the conference tournament.