vs. Northwood (12-9, 9-7 GLIAC)
Thursday, 6:00 p.m.
Radio: WTKG 1230-AM | Listen
Video: ESPN3 | Watch
Live Stats | Game Notes
 
vs. Lake Superior State (4-19, 2-14 GLIAC)
Saturday, 1:00 p.m.
Radio: WTKG 1230-AM | Listen
Video: ESPN3 | Watch
Live Stats | Game Notes

ALLENDALE, Mich.—The 2016-17 regular season for the Grand Valley State women's basketball team is on the final stretch, with only five games remaining on the schedule. The next four of those games are all home contests, and will begin this Thursday as the Lakers host Northwood at GVSU Fieldhouse Arena, followed by a Saturday matinee with Lake Superior State.
 
Fans can follow along with the games via the above links. Both games will be broadcast on WTKG 1320-AM, with sixth year play-by-play man DJ Foster calling the action. The games will also be shown on ESPN3.
 
The Lakers are 16-6 (11-5 GLIAC) and are coming off a 68-65 loss at Saginaw Valley State, which snapped a three-game winning streak that had been capped off by a victory at Wayne State on Thursday.  Despite the loss, the Lakers are one of five teams to have already clinched a spot in the 2017 GLIAC tournament, joined by SVSU and Michigan Tech from the North Division and Ashland and Ohio Dominican from the South.
 
In Thursday's victory over Wayne State, four Lakers ended in double-digits, led by Bailey Cairnduff's 15 points. Taylor Parmley added 14 points, Lindsay Baker hit four triples on the way to 12 points, and Piper Tucker netted a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards. The game was representative of how the Lakers have had success this season, with a strong defensive effort matched by balanced scoring on offense to lead the team to a cozy win. Also posting a strong game was Janae Langs, who hauled down a career-high 13 rebounds to go along with seven points, seven assists and two steals.
 
On Saturday, the Lakers suffered a close loss to Saginaw Valley State, as each team has defended home court in the season series.  After falling behind to the hot-shooting Cardinals, including an eighteen point deficit early in the final quarter, the Lakers would climb back into the game behind a 22-11 final quarter. The come back was not meant to be, however, as the Cardinals outlasted the Lakers on late free throws to earn the victory at home. In the loss, Parmley continued her torrid play as a starter in place of the injured Kayla Dawson, scoring 18 points on 7-12 shooting from the floor, and has now scored 14 or more points in each of her starts over the past four games.
 
In Thursday's rematch with the Timberwolves (12-9, 9-7 GLIAC), the Lakers get a chance to get some revenge of their own, having dropped a 60-53 decision in Midland on January 12^th. GVSU was sloppy during the loss, committing 18 turnovers and shooting just 36 percent (18-50) from the field and 19 percent (4-21) from beyond the arc. Despite holding Northwood's top scoring duo of Jordyn Nurenburg and Maddy Seeley to 17 combined points, 15 below their combined season average, the Lakers were burned by the Orwat sisters Lindsay (19 points) and Hannah (10 points). In handing the Lakers their fourth loss of the season, the Timberwolves overcame 17 turnovers of their own and shot just well enough to defend their home court.
 
Heading into Thursday's matchup, the Timberwolves are riding a three-game win streak capped off by a narrow 55-53 victory over Northern Michigan at home on Saturday.  Ranked 10^th in the GLIAC in scoring and averaging 65.1 points per contest, Northwood is  fifth in the North Division standings, three spots behind the second place Lakers. As the Timberwolves have slackened off offensively as of late, the Lakers have climbed to seventh in the conference in scoring, notching just under 66 points per contest, while still owning a GLIAC-low 52.4 points allowed on defense.
 
Saturday's have been kind to the Lakers this season, as the Allendale side have gone 9-1 in contests on that date, with the loss to SVSU being their first on a Saturday this season. Adding to their chances to improve that record is the recent struggles of Lake Superior State, which has dropped eight straight games and is just 4-19 (2-14 GLIAC) on the season. Part of that decline may be due to an offense that is ranked 13^th in the conference and averages just 63.2 points per contest on offense while allowing an 11^th ranked 69.1 points to opponents on defense. Leading scorer Mackenzie Edwards has done her part to keep the Lakers competitive, averaging 14.1 points per game, but the team has struggled, with three recent losses coming in double-figures.
 
Defense continues to be the strength of Grand Valley State this season, as the Lakers have held 16 of their 21 opponents below 55 points in games this season, and they are ranked second in Division II in scoring defense at 52.4 points per contest. Additionally, the Lakers average 9.2 steals per game and are just three blocks shy of matching last season's total of 76. Opponents are also shooting just 36.4 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from beyond the arc against the Lakers this season, good for first and fourth in the GLIAC, respectively.
 
After this week's games, the Lakers will continue the homestand next weekend with a pair of games against Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. GVSU then closes out the regular season with a road tilt against Ferris State on Thursday, February 23^rd.