Box Score Later in this season, maybe rookie forward Suzy Wollenhaupt will hit, "The Wall," a mental barrier many freshman seem to encounter late in their initial voyage into college basketball.
However, it's the first week of December and on Thursday night (Dec. 5) in Grand Rapids, Mich., Wollenhaupt was a wall that the Grand Valley State Lakers couldn't climb over or get around.
Wollenhaupt had 29 points and seven rebounds and junior guard Melanie Poorman had a double-double with career highs of 18 points and 12 rebounds as the AU women's basketball team held on for a 76-73 win. The game was played at Grand Rapids Community College due to GVSU hosting the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Volleyball Tournament.
This was the GLIAC opener for both clubs. AU is 3-1 overall and the Lakers are 2-2.
Wollenhaupt scored 20 second half points and she fired in six points in the final four minutes. AU led at halftime, 35-33. The game was nip-and-tuck throughout. Balanced scoring and the ability to hold onto the basketball helped AU on this night. The Eagles had only nine turnovers compared to 13 for GVSU and led in points off of turnovers, 12-6. In addition to Wollenhaupt and Poorman, the Eagles received 12 points and seven rebounds from guard Taylor Woods and 10 points and six caroms from guard McKenzie Miller.
Guard Alyssa Miller had eight assists and three blocked shots.
All night, Grand Valley State thrived on second chances. The Lakers held a 25-10 edge in second chance points thanks in large part to 20 offensive rebounds. The Laker bench exerted its muscle, too. Piper Tucker had 15 points and nine rebounds, Daina Grazulis had 11 points and eight rebounds and Janelle McQueen added 10 points and seven rebounds. All three of those players thrived in a reserve role. The Lakers led in bench points, 41-2.
With 8:04 left in regulation, GVSU was ahead, 60-55. A Wollenhaupt layup with 3:57 to play knotted the game at 66. Another Wollenhaupt layup with 1:26 remaining gave AU a 72-70 lead. The freshman made 14-of-25 field goal tries.
Moments later, Grazulis missed a layup and with 30 seconds to go, Woods hit a pair of free throws for a 74-70 Ashland lead. GVSU turned the ball over and a Miller free throw 25 seconds showing on the clock put AU in front, 75-70.
The Eagles, the two-time defending GLIAC champions and the 2013 national champion, will play at Ferris State on Saturday (Dec. 7, 1 p.m.).
AU
WBB/ALK
