ALLENDALE, MICH. – GLIAC play has arrived for the Grand Valley women's basketball team, as they are on the road this Thursday and Saturday for the first two games of conference play. The Lakers open with rival Ferris State at 5:30 on Thursday evening before traveling up to LSSU on Saturday for a 1pm game.
 
Grand Valley moved to 5-0 to open the year with their 89-63 victory over Northwood this past Saturday. They maintained their spot atop the most recent WBCA poll, sitting at number one for the third straight poll. GVSU has won their five matchups by an average of 27.8 points and have outrebound opponents 41.4 to 29. Emily Spitzley leads the offense, scoring in double-figures in all five games this season, as she averages 14.6 points per game. Ellie Droste and Hannah Kulas are also both in double-figures at 10.2 points per game. Courtney Sharland pulls down 5.6 rebounds a game, while Spitzley averages 4.2 and Hadley Miller is grabbing 4 a game. The Lakers are shooting 49.5% from the field this season and 39.5% from deep.
 
Ferris State also comes into the matchup undefeated and ranked in the WBCA poll, coming in at number twenty. The Bulldogs are also 5-0 and were voted second in the GLIAC preseason coaches' poll, earning the only first-place vote that did not go to GVSU. Grand Valley State took two of the three matchups last season, winning both regular season games, before the Bulldogs won the GLIAC Tournament championship game. FSU averages 86.2 points per game on 50.8% shooting from the floor and 40.7% from deep. Five Bulldogs average double-figures, led by Chloe Idoni's 18.4 points per game. Idoni is also the leading rebounder at 7.6 a game, while blocking just over one shot a game as well. This will be the 42^nd all-time matchup between the two teams, with GVSU leading the series 30-11 and 15 of the previous 16 contests.
 
To close out the weekend, it will be the battle of the Lakers between GVSU and LSSU. Lake State is 1-5 to open the season and was selected to finish 10^th in the GLIAC preseason poll as they came off a 4-20 campaign. Grand Valley swept the season series last year and have won 15 straight over their GLIAC foe. Four LSSU players score in double-figures as Margot Woughter averages 13.8 and Mattison Rayman scores 13.7 a game. Rayman is the leading rebounder in the conference grabbing 12.3 a game. In the all-time series between the two teams, Grand Valley leads 27-10, including the current 15-game win streak.
 
Both games this week will be available to follow through live stream, live audio, or live stats. For full coverage of the game, including live in-game updates, follow @gvsuwbb on Twitter and visit gvsulakers.com.