ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Grand Valley State Lakers can finish the home portion of their 2017-18 schedule on the highest of notes; a win against the Tiffin Dragons Saturday (Feb. 17) clinches a berth in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament. The Lakers, 13-12 overall and 8-9 in the league, are currently tied for seventh in the GLIAC but hold tiebreakers over the two teams they vie against for the final two spots. That means a win is enough to guarantee the Lakers will finish as one of the top eight teams in the GLIAC this season.
 
Standing in the Lakers way are the Dragons, who enter the contest 7-18 on the year and 3-14 in the conference. The Lakers broke a 71-all tie to beat Tiffin, 80-71, in the first meeting of the season on the Dragons home court. The Lakers can clinch even with a loss if Northwood and Davenport both lose as well. Senior Day festivities will precede the game Saturday with four Lakers being honored before their final game in the Fieldhouse. There is also a beach towel giveaway, presented by Copper Beech townhomes, as part of Beach Day in Allendale.
 
Freshman Jake Van Tubbergen continues to lead the Lakers. He's coming off his third double-double of the season in the 64-57 win over Ashland Thursday, scoring 18 points with 12 rebounds and a season-high four blocks. Van Tubbergen has scored in double figures in 11 of his last 12 games and has grown into a premier candidate for GLIAC Freshman of the Year. His strong play on the defensive end held one of the GLIAC's top scorers, Wendell Davis, to just four points Thursday night. Sophomore Ben Lubitz drilled a pair of threes as part of his ten-point performance Thursday, keeping the Lakers streak alive of multiple double-digit scorers in every game this season.
 
Tiffin is led by Austin Adams and Alex Brown, who together lead just about every offensive category for the Dragons. Adams' 14.2 points and 7.7 rebounds are both team highs while Brown's 73 assists and .504 shooting percentage best the team. The two also wreak havoc on the defensive end, combining for 75 steals between the two. Brown had six steals in the first meeting between the two schools this season. The Dragons are coming off a loss to Purdue Northwest Thursday night.
 
With plenty to celebrate before the game Saturday, the Lakers are hoping to celebrate their 13^th GLIAC Tournament appearance in the 14 seasons under head coach Ric Wesley. For a team that started 0-4 in GLIAC play, the remarkable turnaround has been a true testament to the heart, spirit and belief this team has shown from top to bottom. They have a chance to reap the rewards Saturday in their final game in front of their home crowd this season.