Friday, March 10th vs. Ursuline (23-7)
7:30 P.M
Live Stream: Watch
Radio- WTKG AM 1230: Listen
Game Notes l Live stats 

ASHLAND, Ohio.—The Grand Valley State women's basketball team surged to an improbable victory in the 2015-16 Midwest Regional Tournament last season, upsetting multiple ranked teams to claim the title on the way to an NCAA Final Four Appearance. Now one year removed from that period, the Lakers find themselves on the cusp of the tournament's first round in the 2016-17 season and poised to face off against fourth-seeded Ursuline (23-07) on Friday night in Ashland, Ohio.
 
The Lakers (23-7) are the brackets fifth seed, an improvement off last season's bid as the seventh seed, and are making their 12^th NCAA Tournament appearance. GVSU came up just short of the GLIAC Tournament title last weekend, falling to #1 Ashland in the title game after going blow-for-blow with the Eagles throughout regulation. Keeping the Lakers in that game was Taylor Parmley, who netted a career-high 25 points and hauled down seven rebounds, while Piper Tucker netted 17 points and became the 24^th player in program history to reach the 1,000 career point club in the process.
 
GVSU's opponent is a going to be a tough opponent to face, as the Arrows have the ninth highest scoring offense in Division II at 80.6 points a game. All five Arrow starters averaged double-digit points, compared to just two Laker starters. 6-1 forward and 2016-17 GMAC Player of the Year Laney Lewis is in the midst of a dominant season, as she averages 16.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while connecting on 58 percent of her attempts from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc. Sharpshooter Erica Huber is second on the team with 14.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while leading the team in makes (83) and attempts (193) beyond the arc, where she shoots 43 percent.  Natalie Koenig (13.3), Brigan Whymer (11.7) and Camryn Hill (10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds) round out the Arrows offense. As a team, the Arrows have shot an impressive 46 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc, and boast an offense that scores in bunches.
 
To combat the Arrow's explosive offense, the Lakers will bring to bear Division II's second best scoring defense this season, as the Lakers allow just 53.3 points a game to opposing offenses. 21 times this season the Lakers have held their opponents below 55 points in the game, and have allowed 70 or more points just four times this season. There's no denying that the Lakers have a legitimately tough defense anchored by two All-GLIAC Defensive Team selections in Piper Tucker and Taylor Lutz, who will try their best to make things difficult for Lewis and Huber.
 
On offense, the Lakers will rely on the balanced scoring that their starting unit provides, spelled by contributions from the bench. Senior guard Janae Langs is having her best season as a Laker, averaging career highs in points (10.4), rebounds (5.9) and assists (3.1) per contest. The small but dynamic playmaker made her impact on the Laker offense known last season in the Midwest Region Tournament, as she led the Lakers with 20 points and nine rebounds in the title game against #14 Drury. What started as an unexpected handful of clutch plays has given rise to a serious playmaker who doesn't shy away from taking the big shot, as Langs proved by sinking a game-winning jumper late in a crucial conference victory over Northern Michigan on February 18^th.
Alongside Langs are the rest of the Laker starters, with Tucker defending the paint and spacing the floor on offense, Bailey Cairnduff providing the Lakers best perimeter shooting (58-155, 37 percent), Taylor Parmley averaging double-digit scoring as a persistent and effective post scorer, and Taylor Lutz running the point. Without a clear cut "star" player, the Lakers have instead formed a cohesive unit that flat out wins basketball games.
 
With all the key players from last season's Final Four run back on the team this season alongside some added depth, the Lakers have veteran postseason experience all throughout their lineup. GVSU earned a trip to the Final Four by defeating higher ranked and better seeded teams along the way, and showing that nothing is pre-determined or set. To recreate the success of last season's Final Four run, the Lakers will need to play with that same intensity and grit in this season's tournament