Jan. 11, 2007

Box Score

#12 Grand Valley State dominated Lake Superior State, 84-67, Thursday night in a battle of two of the top teams in GLIAC North Division. GVSU improves to 13-3 and 6-1 in the GLIAC, while LSSU falls to 10-4 and 6-1. The Lakers will continue its three-game road trip on Saturday at Northern Michigan for an 1:00 p.m. tipoff. GVSU will then travel to Gannon on Monday, Jan. 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Senior center Julia Braseth hit a jumper and junior guard Erin Cyplik knocked down a three-pointer to give GVSU an early 5-0 lead. LSSU came back and tied the game at 11-11 at the 11:52 mark before junior guard Crystal Zick hit a three-pointer to put GVSU ahead 14-11. Lake Superior State hit a jumper to cut the lead to 14-13, but two three-pointers by senior guard Erika Ryskamp sparked a 10-0 Grand Valley run, giving the GVSU Lakers a 24-13 lead. GVSU dominated the rest of the first half, ending on an 8-2 run to take a 44-29 halftime lead.

Lake Superior State cut the lead to nine points, 46-37 at the 16:50 mark in the second half, but Grand Valley went on a 12-4 run to push the lead to 17-points, 58-41 with 12:19 left in the game. GVSU held on to a double-digit lead throughout the rest of the half and increased its lead to as many as 25 points en route to the 84-67 win.

The five Laker starters accounted for 80 out of the 84 points. Grand Valley State scored 27 points off of 17 Lake Superior State turnovers. GVSU also knocked down 10 three-pointers, including eight in the first half.

Senior center Julia Braseth scored a career-high 26 points, knocking down seven shots and 12-of-13 from the free throw line. She also added six rebounds and two assists. Junior guard Crystal Zick tallied 19 points, four assits, and three steals, while senior guard Erika Ryskamp added 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Senior guard Taushauna Churchwell recorded 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, a block, and a steal and junior guard Erin Cyplik had 10 points and five rebounds. Senior center Kari Witkowski scored four points and pulled down a rebound in just four minutes of action. Sophomore forward Kim Wyngaard tallied two rebounds and a steal.