MARQUETTE—The Grand Valley State men's basketball team defeated GLIAC leader Northern Michigan, 82-77, on Thursday night inside the Berry Events Center.
 
Daniel Kiely proved the hero for the Lakers (10-8, 4-4 GLIAC) in Marquette. Late in the shot clock and clinging to a one-point lead, Kiely drove the lane and turned around to hoist a shot with his left hand. Kiely's shot rolled around the rim three times before falling for the Lakers to give them a three-point lead with just 18 seconds left. 
 
The GVSU held on the ensuing Wildcat (14-4, 6-2) possessions and went to the charity stripe to ice the game away. Britain Harris and Marius Grazulis both split their own pair of free throws to seal the Laker victory.
 
The Lakers fought the Wildcats in a back-and-forth game. The Lakers led or kept it close with Northern Michigan for the first 24 minutes of the game until the Wildcats went on a 22-5 run to take a nine-point lead with 10:43 to go. Northern Michigan started 12-for-13 from the floor in the second half.
 
GVSU hung in there and immediately punched back with a 12-0 run of their own to take a three-point lead. From that point on, the teams traded baskets until Kiely made the final field goal of the game.
 
Kiely led the Lakers with 15 points and the biggest basket of the night for GVSU. Kiely went 7-for-9 from the floor.
 
Marius Grazulis felt at home in his native city of Marquette. He took advantage of mismatches all night, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for the Lakers' second double-double of the season. Grazulis was also clutch from the free-throw line, sinking six of his eight attempts from the charity stripe.
 
Chinedu Kingsley Okanu scored 12 points for GVSU, going 5-for-8 from the field. Grazulis' 11 rebounds led the way for the Lakers and Isaiah Carver-Bagley led the team in assists with two. 
 
In what proved to be an offensive battle, the Lakers got just their second win of the season while being outshot. Their 49.2 percent clip from the floor was their highest field goal percentage since Dec. 31 against Aquinas. GVSU won the battle on the glass, collecting 36 rebounds to the Wildcats' 27. 
 
The GVSU men make their way to Houghton for a game against Michigan Tech at 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon inside of the SDC Gymnasium.