Holland Reporter

The Grand Valley State University (GVSU) women's basketball team is preparing for their upcoming Elite Eight matchup in the NCAA Tournament. The Lakers will face Gannon on Monday night in Pittsburgh, aiming to advance to the semifinals.

In the Midwest Regional Tournament, GVSU showcased a strong performance by winning three games with an average margin of 23 points. Their victories over Quincy, Wayne State, and Ashland secured their place in the Elite Eight for the third time in ten seasons. Paige Vanstee stood out as the Most Outstanding Player, averaging 13.6 points on 78.9% shooting along with contributions of 11 rebounds, five steals, and three blocks. Rylie Bisballe also received All-Tournament honors with averages of 15 points and five rebounds and was named WBCA All-American for the second consecutive season.

With a record of 35-2 this year, GVSU has achieved the most wins in program history. The team boasts a top-ranked bench contributing an average of 44.2 points per game from reserves and holds the second-best offense at 84.4 points per game while maintaining a seventh-best scoring defense allowing just 52.8 points per game.

Gannon enters as the eighth seed after winning the Atlantic Region by defeating Fayetteville State, Seton Hill, and IUP all by double digits. Their performance improved their overall record to 28-6 as they make their second consecutive appearance in the Elite Eight. Gannon's defense ranks among the top thirty nationally by allowing only 56.7 points per game with opponents shooting just 24.3% from beyond the arc against them.

Fans can watch all games this week streamed on ESPN+ or follow live stats or radio broadcasts on The Ticket (106.1 FM/1340 AM), Thunder Country (107.3 FM), or WLCS (98.3). Updates are available through social media @gvsuwbb and online at GVSUlakers.com.