GRAND VALLEY STATE 73, PARKSIDE 47
The GLIAC opener didn't go as planned for the Parkside men's basketball team, who fell 73-47 on the road to a tough Grand Valley State team on Thursday night. The Lakers used a huge run in the first half and carried the momentum to the win.
 
HEAR FROM COACH REIGEL
"It was just a very disappointing performance," head coach Luke Reigel said. "We have very few players meeting their potential right now. We have a lot of work to do as individuals and as a coaching staff, but we will pick ourselves up and get back to work tomorrow."
 
WHAT HAPPENED
The Rangers had the Lakers on the ropes in the first 10:00, as a pair of Vinson Sigmon Jr. triples helped the Green & White to a 12-8 lead with 9:44 left in the first half. GVSU answered however, outscoring Parkside 25-6 the rest of the first half and taking a 33-18 lead into halftime.
 
A quick Solomon Oraegbu 3-pointer in the second half brought the Rangers back within 12 points, but the team couldn't get the deficit down the single digits. GVSU slowly added on to the lead, pushing it to 32 at one point late in the second half.
 
STATWORTHY
Sigmon Jr. led the Rangers with a team-high 14 points and four 3-pointers off the bench. Oraegbu finished with nine points while Joey St. Pierre had eight points and seven rebounds.
 
GVSU shot 47.5% while holding Parkside to 33.3%. The Rangers were outrebounded 44-23 and struggled getting to the free-throw line, where they finished 2-for-6.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Parkside will hit the road for another tough GLIAC battle on Saturday, where they'll face Davenport at 2 p.m. in Grand Rapids. Parkside will face Findlay on the road on Tuesday, Dec. 17 before returning home on Saturday, Dec. 21 against Purdue Northwest.