MIDLAND, Mich. -- The Grand Valley State Lakers used hard-nose defense and a strong second half to pull out a comeback win, 67-63, over the Northwood Timberwolves in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action at Riepma Arena Saturday (Feb. 16) night. GVSU improves to 14-11 on the year and 8-9 in GLIAC play while Northwood falls to 11-14 overall and 8-9 in the league. The Lakers sweep the Timberwolves on the season with the win and now have the tiebreaker over Northwood for GLIAC Tournament seeding. 

The Lakers went 23-57 from the field, 1-11 from three and 20-25 from the free throw line. Hunter Hale led the Lakers with 21 points - 19 of which came in the second half - while Jake Van Tubbergen scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Jeremiah Ferguson scored 12 points. With both Hale and Van Tubbergen in foul trouble in the first half, Shaquan McArthur scored six points in 10 minutes on the floor to keep the Lakers close.

GVSU hit their first three shot attempts to open up the game, taking a six-point lead at the midway point of the opening period. Northwood started to find a rhythm, though, and erased an 18-14 deficit at the 8-minute mark to take a 34-24 lead into halftime. The shooting woes continued for GVSU to start the second half, connecting on just one of their first eight shot attempts. But their defense would keep them in contention as the shooting turned around, hitting 12 of their last 22 shots to salt away the deficit. 

Hale drilled a three to tie the game with eight minutes to go, and the two teams would not be separated by multiple possessions again until the final minute of regulation, when Hale hit all six free throws down the stretch to ice the game.

The Lakers have won two games in a row and have their final three games on their home floor, beginning Thursday (Feb. 21) against the Northern Michigan Wildcats at 8:00 PM. It is Military Appreciation night at the Fieldhouse Arena and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3 and ESPN 96.1 FM in Grand Rapids.