Box Score #8 Parkside 77, #2 Grand Valley State 72
The Parkside women's basketball teams' biggest win this season came in their biggest game of the year. After taking down #9 Ferris State on Tuesday, the Rangers upset #2 Grand Valley State in an overtime thriller, behind 23 points from junior Alyssa Nelson. Parkside trailed 60-54 with only 1:45 left to play, and forced overtime after back-to-back threes from senior Alexis Vaughn and Nelson.
 
DOWN THE STRETCH
Both teams shot the ball well to start the game, but the Lakers were able to build a lead late in the first half thanks in large part to their six first-half threes on 11 attempts. Out of the break, the Rangers clawed their way back from a 40-33 deficit to 44 all in the first six minutes of the half. Three fourth-quarter threes from Emily Spitzley helped the No. 2 seed build a six-point lead once again, this time with only 1:45 remaining. The Vaughn and Nelson 3-pointers brought the game back to even, and the Green & White even had a chance to finish the game with 0.8 seconds from an out-of-bounds lob to junior Maddy Harrison, who was fouled on her shot attempt as the buzzer sounded. After review, the referee crew determined the foul occurred after the buzzer sounded and the game was sent to overtime.
 
The Lakers started the overtime with four straight points, but Nelson responded with five straight points of her own to put the Rangers back in front for good. Made jumpers from junior Hannah Plockelman and Vaughn forced Grand Valley State to eventually play the foul game, and Harrison and Nelson combined to ice the game, going 5-for-6 from the line in the final :18 seconds.
 
HEAR FROM COACH CONELY
 
STATWORTHY
Aside from Nelson's 23, Plockelman lead the Rangers with her third straight double-double, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Vaughn was the last Parkside player in double-digits, pouring in 11 and dishing out seven assists. Spitzley finished the 25, leading the Lakers.
 
Parkside finished shooting 26-for-53 (49.1-percent) from the floor, 9-for-25 from three (36.0-percent), and 16-of-22 (72.7-percent) from the free throw line, while Grand Valley State cooled off in the second half, finishing 26-for-69 (37.7-percent) from the floor, 13-for-35 (37.1-percent) from three, and 7-of-11 (63.6-percent) from the free throw line.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Rangers will await the winner of the #3 Northwood, #6 Ashland game tonight, and take on the winner tomorrow at 7 p.m.