PITTSBURGH, PENN. – The GVSU women's basketball team is heading to the Division II National Championship with a 68-61 victory over Pittsburg State. The Lakers will face Cal-State Dominguez Hills on Friday for the title at 7:00.
 
Grand Valley State hit two three-pointers in the first two and a half minutes of action, putting them up 8-4. The Gorillas made it 10-9, but a 10-2 Laker run pushed their lead to 20-11. Pitt State scored four of the final six points to make it 22-15 after one quarter.
 
The two teams traded baskets to begin the second quarter, then four straight points from GVSU gave them a double-digit lead at 30-20. The lead grew to as much as 11 to end the quarter, with GVSU leading 35-24.
 
A layup from Rylie Bisballe made it a 13-point game to begin the second half. The Gorillas responded with a 15-2 run to tie the game at 39 off a three-point play. The Lakers went back up by three at 44-41, but Pittsburg State responded with a 5-0 run to lead 46-44. Bisballe answered back with a turn-around jumper at the buzzer to tie it up at 46 heading to the fourth.
 
The Lakers started the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run, going up 54-46. The Gorillas cut the deficit down to two points at 60-58 with 2:29 to play. Nicole Kamin hit a layup, then Paige Vanstee and Kamin both connected on a pair of free throws to bring the lead back up to eight and ice the game away.
 
Nicole Kamin took over the game in the second half, scoring 15 of her 21 points in the final 20 minutes. She had a team-high seven rebounds and seven steals, adding four assists, and a block. Rylie Bisballe recorded 17 points, 10 in the second half, five boards, and two steals. Paige Vanstee had 11 points and five rebounds, with MacKenzie Bisballe tallying eight points and six rebounds. Ellie Droste totaled five assists and three steals off the bench.
 
Up Next
Grand Valley State will take on Cal-State Dominguez Hills in the National Championship game on Friday night at 7:00.