ALLENDALE – The Grand Valley State women’s basketball team looked like the top team in the country once again.
Despite being ranked third, the Lakers played a game characteristic of their talent, rolling past Wisconsin-Parkside 74-56 on Saturday, Feb. 14, at Grand Valley Field House.
The Lakers started strong offensively with 25 points in the first quarter and had 47 at halftime.
GVSU improved to 23-1 and 15-1 in the GLIAC.
As has been the staple of this team, the Lakers scored 40 points in the paint.
Paige VanStee scored 15 points, Mackenzie Bisballe had 14 and Ava Scanlon had nine to lead the three-headed post attack. VanStee had seven rebounds and the guards got the ball into the post.
Lexi Plitzuweit had six assists, Avery Zeinstra had five, Molly Anderson had four in her return to the lineup after a minor injury, and Nicole Kamin had three.
It balanced the struggles from the 3-point line that the Lakers had, going just 8-for-38.
Meanwhile, the defense forced 20 turnovers.
Zeinstra, Bisballe, Kamin and VanStee each had two steals.
GVSU men roll past Parkside
The No. 19 GVSU men defeated Parkside 73-57 on Saturday.
The Lakers improved to 20-4 and 13-3 in the GLIAC.
Five players in double figures showed the balance once again for the Lakers.
Holland native Ethan Alderink led the team with 14 points, going 7-for-7 from the free-throw line and grabbing a team-high seven rebounds and three assists.
Mason Docks also had 14 points. Trevor Smith Jr. had 13 points off the bench, Jalen Charity had 11 and David Wilkerson had 10. Wilkerson and Smith Jr. each had four steals.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: No. 3 GVSU women pounds the ball to the paint to lead sweep of Wisconsin-Parkside
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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