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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Valley State Lakers host the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Southern Division leading Wayne State Warriors in the final installment of the Downtown Thursday series at the DeltaPlex Arena this week (Feb. 8) at 6:00 PM. The Lakers have six games remaining in the regular season as they battle for positioning in the GLIAC Tournament, currently seventh in the league at 6-8 in conference and 11-11 overall. The Warriors enter Thursday action 11-8 overall and 9-5 in the GLIAC, tied for fourth overall in the conference.
This is the third and final Downtown Thursday of the 2017-18 season. The Lakers got a hard-fought victory over Lake Superior State back on January 18, the last time Laker basketball hit downtown Grand Rapids. The Lakers fell on the road to Wayne State in the GLIAC season opener, 76-73, on the road this season.
The team has evolved and grown a lot since that game, thanks in large part to the emergence of freshman
Jake Van Tubbergen. The Holland, Michigan native has scored in double figures in 12 of his 18 career games, including eight of his last nine games. After an injury slowed the start to his freshman season, the forward has started each of the last 14 games and scored at least ten points in 11 of those contests. He's also been extremely efficient from the floor, ranking fourth in the GLIAC with a .577 field goal percentage. Teammate
Drake Baar is right behind him, ranking fifth with a .576 clip.
From the outside, sophomores
Hunter Hale and
Ben Lubitz have caught fire from downtown. Lubitz knocked down seven threes two Saturdays ago, the most made three-pointers by a Laker since 2007, and
Hunter Hale hit six threes one week prior. Hale is fourth in the GLIAC in made three-pointers this season (56) while Lubitz sits tied for 12
th with 37.
The Warriors bring a veteran and physical team to Grand Rapids. Wayne State typically plays games in the 60s, ranking second in the league in points allowed per game with 67.5. They score 67.8 points per game, meaning they have played plenty of nail-biters this season. Ronald Booth leads the way offensively, averaging 16.1 points a game thanks, in part, to his 42 made threes this season. Chuck Key has also been a force, bullying his way to 13.3 points per contest. The physicality and size of this Warrior team will test the Lakers, who are looking to get tougher inside as the GLIAC Tournament approaches.
Fans can expect a fun, physical game Thursday. Laker head coach
Ric Wesley says that has been a staple of his games against Wayne State for his entire 14-year career with GVSU. With a downtown environment, complete with great food, suites, a beer garden and more, there is plenty to offer for fans coming to support the Lakers in a big game in the playoff race. Tickets are just $5 for students and $10 for fans. Tickets are available by calling the GVSU ticket office, visiting GVSULakers.com or at the box office at the DeltaPlex.
