Aquinas (Tuesday, Dec. 19th - 12:00 PM)
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The Grand Valley State women's basketball team is set to host a Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 19 - 12:00 PM) showdown against the Saints of Aquinas before the holiday break. The Lakers, who most recently earned a 73-53 victory on the road over Purdue Northwest, currently boast a 9-2 overall record (4-1 GLIAC) and are sitting in second in the GLIAC North Division standings. The Saints are sitting on a 9-5 record and are 5-2 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) of the NAIA.
 
This will be the first meeting between the two teams since the 2011-12 season when the Lakers earned a 75-47 victory over the Saints on Nov. 22. GVSU currently holds a 17-12 all-time advantage over Aquinas. Tuesday's game will also be "School Day" at GVSU Fieldhouse Arena and will feature child-friendly trivia at halftime as well as a special slime making demonstration by the GVSU Athletics Department. Faculty and Staff are also encouraged to have "Lunch with the Lakers" and bring their lunch over to the arena and watch some basketball. Admission will be free with a valid GVSU Faculty/Staff I.D.
 
In Saturday's win over Purdue Northwest, senior center Korynn Hincka posted her second double-double of the season after dropping 13 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore guard Jenn DeBoer paced the Laker offense with 14 points while also picking up six assists, three rebounds, and three steals. Fellow guards Natalie Koenig and Victoria Hedemark also posted double-digit performances as Koenig put up 13 points and Hedemark tallied 11. Sophomore center Cassidy Boensch posted another solid performance off the bench as she picked up 10 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks in just 21 minutes on the floor.
 
As a team, the Lakers have established themselves as one of the top defenses in the league so far this season. GVSU currently ranks first in the conference in points per game allowed (59.5) and opponent 3-point percentage (27.0%). The Lakers don't allow any easy shots from anywhere on the floor however, as they rank second in the conference in opponent field goal percentage (38.4%). GVSU takes advantage of its opponents misses as well, picking up 28.0 defensive rebounds per game which ranks tops in the league.
 
While GVSU definitely has some serious weapons down low, they are most effective from beyond the arc. The Lakers average 8.5 three's a game – which ranks 1st in the conference – and are making them at a 37.3% clip – the second best mark in the GLIAC.
 
The Saints will come into the contest having alternated wins and losses since a victory over Rochester College on Nov. 18. Most recently, the Saints earned an 89-62 victory over conference opponent Northwestern Ohio on Dec. 16. For the season, Aquinas is 9-5 overall and 5-2 in WHAC play.
 
Aquinas, who has also been strong defensively this season, allowing just 59.9 points per game to opponents, is led by junior center Michaela Faber. Faber is averaging a team-high 13.5 points per contest while also pulling down 7.4 rebounds as well. Momo Neal and Bri Spica have also been a big part of the Saints offense as they are averaging 8.3 and 8.1 points per game, respectively. Camaryia Williams is averaging 7.1 points per game but also has 40 steals on the season, averaging 2.86 per contest, which ranks tops in the WHAC. While Faber and Neal tend to get their work done around the basket, Spica is the Saints threat from deep. On the season, she has hit 27 of her 73 3-pointers, which is good for a 37.5% mark – all of which rank at the top of the team.
 
Following the matchup with the Saints, the Lakers will have some time off for the holiday break before coming back into action on Dec. 30th as they are slated to host Cornerstone at 5:00 PM in GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.