KENOSHA, Wis. — Parkside men's basketball hits the road this week for a two-game GLIAC swing, opening Thursday, Feb. 12, with a 6:30 p.m. CT matchup at Davenport inside the Davenport Student Center before heading to Allendale for a Valentine's Day meeting with No. 14 Grand Valley State on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 2 p.m. CT inside the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.
The Rangers enter the week 10-12 overall and 4-10 in GLIAC play, still in 10th place and two games back of the final conference tournament spot. Parkside is coming off a split 1-1 week, dropping an 80-70 decision at Roosevelt on Thursday — the program's first loss to the Lakers — before responding Saturday with an 82-63 home win over Ferris State to snap a five-game losing streak.
Through 22 games, Parkside is averaging 74.6 points per game and allowing 75.5. The Rangers are shooting 43.8% from the floor and 33.7% from three, while continuing to live at the free-throw line at 76.0% as a team. Parkside has also been one of the league's best at taking care of the ball, averaging 12.0 turnovers per game, while holding opponents to 39.2% shooting overall.
Individually, Paxton Warden continues to lead the Rangers and is fourth in the GLIAC in scoring at 17.4 points per game. Warden has scored 20-plus points in three of his last four games played, including a career-high 28 at Roosevelt last week. Luka Mateski remains the conference's most consistent free-throw weapon, leading the GLIAC in free throws made and attempted (138-for-154) while ranking second in the league — and top-10 nationally — at 89.6% at the stripe. On the glass, Fawaz Surakat ranks second in the GLIAC at 7.7 rebounds per game, while Josiah Palmer (now with 262 career 3-pointers and one of eight Rangers all-time with 1,500 career points) is shooting 40.7% from three this season.
Thursday, Feb. 12
Parkside at Davenport
6:30 P.m. CT | Davenport Student Center | Grand Rapids, Mich.
Saturday, Feb. 14
Parkside at No. 14 Grand Valley State
2 P.m. CT | GVSU Fieldhouse Arena | Allendale, Mich.
SCOUTING DAVENPORT:
The Panthers and Rangers meet for the second time this season after Davenport earned a 68-54 win in Kenosha on Jan. 24. Ken Walker powered the Panthers with 28 points on 9-for-17 shooting and 6-for-12 from three, and Davenport turned 10 Parkside turnovers into 14 points in the victory.
Davenport enters the week 12-10 overall and 6-8 in GLIAC play, tied for sixth in the standings. Statistically, the Panthers have leaned on defense — fourth in the GLIAC in scoring defense — while their offense has been more inconsistent (ninth in the league in points per game). Individually, Walker is one of the top scorers in Division II, sitting second in the GLIAC and 11th nationally at 21.8 points per game, while also leading the league in minutes (nearly 35 per game), free-throw percentage (just over 90%), and 3-pointers made per game (3.1). Curtis Jackson is the engine, leading the GLIAC in assists and total assists.
All-time, this is the 14th meeting between the programs. Parkside leads the series 9-4, has won six of the last seven, and seven of the last 10. The loss to Davenport earlier this season was Parkside's first against the Panthers since January 2023. The Rangers are 5-1 all-time at Davenport, including a 72-64 win in the Davenport Student Center last season.
SCOUTING NO. 14 GRAND VALLEY STATE:
Parkside and Grand Valley State meet for the second time in three weeks after the Lakers earned a 77-67 win in Kenosha on Jan. 22. Grand Valley placed four players in double figures and won the rebounding battle by 10, while Warden led Parkside with a then career-high 26 points.
The Lakers enter the week 18-4 overall and 11-3 in GLIAC play (tied for the league lead) and are 8-2 at home. Grand Valley is coming off a 1-1 road weekend, defeating Purdue Northwest 85-76 before falling at Wayne State 70-68 to snap a nine-game winning streak. Statistically, Grand Valley is third in the GLIAC in both scoring offense and scoring defense, owns a +12 scoring margin (second in the league), and gets to the free-throw line as well as anyone in the conference — making more than 19 free throws per game (11th nationally). Defensively, the Lakers are holding opponents to 40.0% shooting (second in the GLIAC; 15th nationally), and they lead the conference in bench points while featuring three double-figure scorers and seven players averaging at least five points per game.
Individually, Ethan Alderink leads the Lakers at 14.0 points per game. Point guard Trevor Smith Jr. leads the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (just under 3.8), while Mason Docks is also top-10 nationally in that category (3.0). Smith and Docks rank third and fourth in the GLIAC in assists, and Docks also leads the league in steals per game and ranks top-20 nationally.
This is the 17th all-time meeting between Parkside and Grand Valley State. The Lakers lead the series 10-6, though Parkside is 4-4 all-time in Allendale. In the last 10 meetings, the teams are split 5-5, but Grand Valley has won four of the last five overall (three by double figures).
LOOKING AHEAD:
Following the road week, Parkside returns home for its final home weekend of the regular season, hosting Purdue Northwest on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m. CT before welcoming Wayne State for Senior Day on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 3 p.m. CT in De Simone Arena.
To keep up with the Rangers throughout the season, visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
