Holland Reporter

The Grand Valley State University (GVSU) women's basketball team is set to conclude their three-game road trip with a match against Ohio State. The game is scheduled for Tuesday at noon.

The Lakers have started the season strong, maintaining an 11-0 record after recent victories over Quincy and Drury. They defeated Quincy on the road with a score of 73-58 and secured a win against Drury in a neutral setting by scoring 104 points in a 41-point victory. Rylie Bisballe led the team's offensive efforts with 31 points, earning her the title of World Exposure Report National Player of the Week. Nicole Kamin averaged 11 points across these games, while Avery Zeinstra achieved a career-high of 16 points against Drury. Paige Vanstee, Abrie Cabana, and Lexi Plitzuweit also contributed by scoring in double figures on Sunday. This marks the second time in three years that GVSU has started their season with at least an 11-0 record; they began the 2022-23 season with a similar streak.

In last year's encounter between these two teams, Ohio State emerged victorious with a score of 73-49. Ellie Droste was GVSU's top scorer during that game, contributing 17 points and shooting six out of eleven from the field. The Lakers managed to win the rebounding contest with a margin of 34-30, and both teams scored equally in the second half.

Ohio State currently holds an eighth-place national ranking and has begun their season undefeated as well, boasting a record of 10-0. The Buckeyes have shown dominance throughout their games this year, having only participated in two matches decided by single digits. Their defensive press strategy has been effective, forcing opponents into over 27 turnovers per game which results in an average of 30 points gained from those turnovers alone. Five players from Ohio State maintain double-digit scoring averages per game, led by Cote McMahon who averages 18.2 points per match. The team shoots over 46% from field goals and maintains a three-point shooting percentage above 35%. Additionally, they rank eighth nationally regarding scoring margins by winning games with an average difference of approximately 33.5 points.

Fans can follow Tuesday's matchup through live stats or video streaming via Big Ten Network Plus; however, access to video requires subscription services.