Women's Basketball Drops Tough 60-57 Contest To Grand Valley State

The Northwood University women's basketball team dropped a tough 60-57 contest to Grand Valley State Saturday night (February 16).

Northwood falls to 10-13 overall, 9-10 in the GLIAC.  GVSU improves to 17-6 overall, 13-6 in the GLIAC.

The Lakers scored the first basket of the game and would go on to lead the majority of the first half, going up by as many as seven points.  Northwood fought back, going on a 9-0 run to lead 25-23.  The Timberwolves eventually took a 32-29 lead to the locker room.  NU shot 13-31 from the floor (41.9 percent) to 13-28 for the Lakers (46.4 percent), but the Timberwolves connected on four 3-pointers ot just one for the Lakers. 

Northwood was the better team for the start of the second half, eventually going up 50-38 with less than eight minutes to go.  But that's when GVSU's 3-point shooting got going – the Lakers knocked down back-to-back triples to make the lead six.  Grand Valley eventually ended up making three 3-pointers in just over four minutes after making just one in the opening 32 minutes.  The Lakers took their first lead with 2:14 remaining at 57-55.  Northwood had three possessions trailing by two points in the final two minutes, but were unable to score on any of them. 

For the game, Grand Valley shot 49.0 percent from the floor (24-49), thanks in large part to going 11-21 in the second half (52.4 percent).  Northwood finished at 37.5 percent (21-56) after shooting 32.0 percent in the second half (8-25).

Three Timberwolves finished in double figure for the game, led by senior guard Rachel Church (Midland, Mich./Bullock Creek).  She finished with 16 points while matching her career-high with six rebounds.  Lauren Robak (Clarkston, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes) and Gabrielle Rivette (Fenton, Mich.) each finished with 11.

Northwood will travel to Michigan Tech Thursday (February 21).  Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.