MARQUETTE, Mich.—Even after mounting a fourth quarter rally to tie Saturday's game against Northern Michigan, the Grand Valley State women's basketball team found themselves on the cusp of a second straight one-point loss with just seconds remaining in the game. Enter senior Piper Tucker, who picked the pocket of the Wildcat's best player, Bre Gaspervich, raced down the floor and was intentionally fouled on the shot, leading to a pair of game-winning free throws. Tucker added a second pair of free throws just seconds later to seal the game for the Lakers and end the weekend road trip with a dramatic victory.
 
With the win, Grand Valley State improves to 14-5 overall (9-5 GLIAC) and has now beaten the Wildcats in six straight contests dating back to the 2015-15 season.
 
In setting the stage for the late heroics by Tucker, the Lakers had to rally from a 45-35 deficit at the end of the third quarter, which they did by outscoring Northern Michigan 15-2 in the first half of the fourth quarter. GVSU opened the quarter on back to back layups by Janae Langs and Cassidy Boensch, then Tucker hit a triple to cap off a quick 7-0 run. After two Wildcat free throws, the Lakers went back on the offensive. Tucker converted a three-point play, followed by a Taylor Parmley layup and a Taylor Lutz triple with 4:49 left to play to cap off an 8-0 run. Now down by a 50-47 margin, the Wildcats responded with six straight points of their own to go ahead 53-50 with 1:50 remaining.
 
A pair of Parmley free throws trimmed the deficit to just one with 37 seconds left, but the Wildcats had possession of the ball with just seconds to run off the clock, setting the scene for another one-point Laker loss. Instead, Tucker stole the ball away from Gaspervich after the inbound and raced towards the hoop to try and win the game for the visitors. Gaspervich wrapped up Tucker and sent her to the floor on the shot attempt, and an intentional foul was awarded to give the Lakers the pair of free throws and the ball back.
 
Parmley and Langs led GVSU with 14 points apiece, while Tucker finished with 13 after her final four free throws. She was also very effective on the defensive end, blocking three shots and notching five steals. The Lakers shot a solid but unspectacular 41.7 percent (20-48) from the field and 5-13 (38.5 percent) from beyond the arc.
 
The game was close throughout the first half of play. A low scoring first quarter saw the Lakers take a miniscule one point lead, 9-8. In the second quarter, the Wildcats outscored GVSU 18-16 to take a one point lead into the halftime break,  26-25.
 
In the third quarter, the Wildcats began a 7-2 run to go up by six, 33-27. After some back and forth play between the teams, the Wildcats again built up a six point lead, and then extended it to eight points with 4:07 remaining. After Lutz split a pair of free throws to cut the lead to seven, the Wildcats ended the third quarter on a trifecta to open up a 45-35 lead heading into the final frame.
 
Laker centers Cassidy Boensch and Korynn Hincka both hauled down six rebounds to lead the team, while finishing with three and two blocks, respectively.
 
GVSU returns to action with a home tilt against rival Ferris State on Monday, January 30^th at GVSU Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, Michigan. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m.