vs. #1 Ashland (Thursday, Jan. 11th – 5:30 PM)
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vs. Tiffin (Saturday, Jan. 13th – 3:00 PM)
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The Grand Valley State women's basketball team is set to travel down to Ohio for a couple of matchups against #1 Ashland (15-0, 7-0 GLIAC) and Tiffin (5-10, 1-6 GLIAC) this weekend (Jan. 11-13). The Lakers most recently took down GLIAC opponents Northwood and Saginaw Valley State by scores of 73-55 and 70-48, respectively, to move to 13-2 overall and 6-1 against conference opponents. The Lakers are currently tied with Michigan Tech for first place in the GLIAC North Division as well as second place overall, trailing just Ashland who is 7-0 in league play. Thursday's (Jan. 11) matchup against Ashland is set for 5:30 PM in Ashland, Ohio while Saturday's (Jan. 13) game against Tiffin will tipoff at 3:00 PM in Tiffin, Ohio.
 
In the most recent Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Poll, the Lakers were sitting just outside the top-25 after receiving votes while they jumped into the top-25 of the D2SIDA Poll in a tie for 24th with Northern State. Ashland remained as the #1 team in the country after receiving all first place votes in the WBCA Poll.
 
The Lakers currently boast a six game winning streak, which dates back to a Dec. 9th double-overtime victory over Northern Michigan. Over that span, the Lakers are outscoring their opponents by an average score of 72-53, which has contributed to them being the number one defense in the GLIAC in terms of points per game allowed as they are giving up just 57.3 points per game this season while also ranking first in opponent 3-point percentage (26.2%) and third in overall field goal percentage (38.8%).
 
To go along with their lockdown defense, GVSU boasts one of the best deep attacks in the league. The Lakers have hit a league-leading 120 3-pointers this season and their 8.0 3-pointers per game and 35.0% percentage rank second and third in the league, respectively. Four different Lakers have made 20+ 3-pointers this season, led by guard Jenn DeBoer (30) who is followed by Natalie Koenig (25), Korynn Hincka (20) and Maddie Dailey (20). While all four boast impressive percentages on 3-pointers, Hincka currently ranks fourth out of everybody in the GLIAC with a 40.8% mark.
 
Despite their presence around the arc, the Lakers also know how to get it done in the paint, as evidenced by center Cassidy Boensch winning GLIAC North Division Player of the Week for her performances over the holiday break. In three victories, Boensch averaged 14.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks while hitting 62.5% of her shots from the floor. Boensch had a career day against Cornerstone, in the teams first game of the holiday break, by scoring 18 points while rejecting 7 shots (both career-high's) and tying her career high with 9 rebounds. Also a big presence in the paint for the Lakers is senior Taylor Parmley, who ranks second on the team in scoring with 12.7 ppg and 6.3 rebounds per game while Hincka leads the team with 8.1 rebounds per game.
 
The #1 ranked Ashland Eagles have experienced a lot of success the past few seasons and that hasn't changed this season. The Eagles are currently 15-0 and lead the GLIAC with a 7-0 mark so far this season after having most recently taken down Michigan Tech (103-68) and Northern Michigan (99-59) last weekend.
 
The Eagles sport one of the best offenses in the NCAA, as they rank second in the nation with exactly 100.0 points scored per contest but are facing a Laker team who gives up just 57.3 points per game. The Eagles success stems from their ability to get high-percentage shots, as they also lead the nation in field goal percentage at 50.6%. The Lakers will test them however, as they are allowing opponents to shoot just 38.8% from the floor.
 
Leading the Eagle offense is senior forward Laina Snyder and sophomore guard Jodi Johnson, who are averaging 20.0 and 18.3 points per game, respectively. Both players get a lot of work done inside the arc but Johnson has a knack for the three ball, shooting an impressive 44.1% from deep. Senior forward Andi Daugherty and junior guard Maddie Dackin are also having good offensive seasons, as they are averaging 14.0 and 11.5 points per game, respectively. Snyder and Johnson are also at the top of the rebounding category for the Eagles with Snyder pulling down 7.7 rebounds per game and Johnson hauling in 5.5.
 
The Lakers second opponent of the weekend, the Tiffin Dragons, currently sit with a 5-10 overall record and a 1-6 mark in the GLIAC. The Dragons most recently dropped a couple of contests in the U.P. as they fell 71-59 to Northern Michigan before dropping a 79-42 decision to Michigan Tech. Tiffin's lone GLIAC victory came against Lake Superior State back on Dec. 2nd in a 76-66 affair.
 
Allie Miller and Ali Schirmer have led the Tiffin offense so far this season as Miller is pouring in 15.4 points a game while Schirmer is sitting at 12.0 points a game. Miller is the Dragons biggest threat from deep, as the junior is shooting 40.5% from beyond the arc and is making 2.4 three's a game. Miller has also been the Dragons best rebounder this season, as she is pulling down 6.0 boards per contest while Aida Santana martin ranks second on the squad at 3.9 rebounds per game.