>> Hi, everybody.

And welcome back to an all-new episode of the Grand Valley State Sports report here in Wgu.

I'm your host Stephen Lloyd Jones.

And here's what we have coming up for you tonight.

GVSU women's basketball claimed Ugly Act tournament championship as they swept the conference the season to be issues.

Men's basketball team ends their season in the gliac Tournament semifinal and our future this week highlights thrower Alaina a moment today and her contributions to the team Lockett in Laker Nation as the Grand Valley State Sports report starts right now.

The past week saw the GVSU women's basketball team competing in the Gliac tournament 3 games.

3 wins the Lakers of the tournament champions and headed for the National Tournament.

Joining me now is senior Emily Spitz Lee head coach Mike Williams.

Good to see both.

Thank you for being here.

Great to be down another nice day.

Yeah, that's right.

Downtown Grand Rapids.

Well, coach, I mean, the champions here tournament champions we ACA tournament, which is a big deal.

Obviously a great regular season.

You earn that number one seed, but then to execute and go through your 3 games and get 3 wins.

That's quite an accomplishment.

>> You know, we were talking the office talking about, you know, their men's team have a chance, you know, playing good basketball 10 the year.

It's a 3 game tournament, only got to win 3 games, get into the tournament.

And then you're looking from our standpoint going and we have we have one yet has been, you know, 7 years.

They played 6 finals.

But then you win your first game out.

We still got 2 more to go.

These are they in Winter Games roll.

It can be.

It's pretty tough.

So I'm quite accomplishment for our team and a name with those with that 3 game tournament is accomplishment.

And, you know, those pretty nice to finally, you know, not not get the monkey off the back but to get a conference tournament championship.

>> We will start with you.

But Mike, I want to hear your thoughts.

What's that like this different kind of pressures, OK?

One pressure is, hey, we've got a winner conference title to get into the National tournament.

Another is we're expected to win our conference tournament to do it, which is more pressure.

Do you feel and how do you handle that?

Which talk first?

>> I think the unexpected doing is hard because all through the area had like teams are clean our game on their calendars and their schedule.

So we get every team's best shot.

And I think that was the same for that tournament.

Every team.

But give all they had a Kansas Northwest had a great game.

Second had a good game plan of attack to the sword down to the wire.

So 3 good test for us.

And I think that we responded to pressure and did well the time came.

>> You're absolutely right.

Well, I think to to, you know, pay back alley, but you know, their their that's their new season.

They're playing to win of the year when that's getting antsy tournament.

You're not it's not technically a tax and obviously, but you know, they're they're playing with all their coming in all cylinders and get your your expected to win.

And there is there's a lot of pressure today on.

I think that's the one thing.

I think our players have done a super job of this year of not feeling the pressure of having to win.

You know, you talk about going through a conference and in yes, our our goals win the conference that special.

Let's that that's what you can do.

The long haul over over 20 games.

The consistency throughout the season not to get hot in the 3 game stretch.

But when you're the season, you can lose again and then okay, get to play again in the tournament solution.

And you said watch the next day.

And we've we've, you know, one year we had sent watch the championship game in our own Jim.

So what a great job.

And I think a senior stepped up all 3 of them.

They were great leaders on the bench in practice and on the floor.

I think everybody else just kind of followed suit.

>> Well, you had a fantastic week here.

Individually is, as you helped drive the team to beat Purdue.

Northwest Valley does 60 to 43 in the opener.

All these games at home.

You get 18 points in that one and then things start to get tougher and tougher as you go.

But what a great 1st half that you the team played against Saginaw Valley, getting worse park with that.

But kind of talk about those first couple of games leading up to the championship.

You know, the team and the focus going into those.

>> I think especially in second our 1st half was like another level for us.

I feel that offense.

We're really just attacking eyes up, making the right play, seen open person.

So we started playing the kind of basketball carries over.

I think that was fun for all of us that occurred over tech to we had some defensive letdowns there.

But overall, I think the first 2 games had a jury to go for a championship.

>> Mike, the you know, I think it's there's different styles are facing, you know, saying what kind of, you know, put pressure on us to get to the rim.

You know, they were they were applying full court pressure on us to try to pressure some have court, which I think a lot of those openings I'm allowed to get downhill.

We took advantage that we got down.

He'll score around the basket that we've got some great high-low action, some post touches.

And then you look at what's going to jam the lane on us a little bit, you know, made us take our shots contests are shots kind of slow the game down.

Hansen scored only only get 60 points.

I think that came was very similar to that.

You know, that the challenger shots at the rim and they kind of packed up that lane.

But and again, they they had their eyes on Emily trying to get into her shots, not give up her shots and Ellie it, you know, other players were kind of forced to step up and did.

But then, you know, I think we did a great job of just saying, okay, I can still get my shot off and and she didn't know she not come in.

>> He did interesting how you won in different ways and he's getting some of them shot.

Well, others maybe not as well.

But you got, you know, the difference and other areas, you know, against Michigan Tech, great job at the foul line trying to work on things.

So that's got to feel good.

Knowing, you know, going into a national tournament, we don't have to shoot great to still have a chance to win that.

That's going to be encouraging, right?

>> I think that's something that we always count on with our head coach being a defensive guy.

So we always Cardi funds no matter how overshooting we're going to hold team solo number of points, which always gets a chance to be in the game.

So that's something that we really focus on every game we play.

And then if the ball goes in for shooting, well, so really in our control, he shared the ball to make it every time supposed to do is not to do so as long as you can hold a team to a beautiful not points than yourself.

>> Mike, you, you're going to have a situation here where you can.

You're facing teams potentially haven't seen yet this year.

What's that like?

You just came off.

Teams are you saw for the 3rd time here.

So talk about the difference there and preparation as a coach and kind of how that factors in.

>> We're going to be excited to place a big difference to me.

I I'm not a huge fan of the conference tournament because you're playing team 3 times and they get the region that you see on that.

And there's said the bracket, Lewis complained rate for the 4th time they just played last night.

And it's just, you know, it's it's not a healthy situation, not sure what the options are, but it's late last year with a chance to play some of the new.

You know, I kids were just excited.

It was like, alright, we'll play this team in.

It's something new and you don't know each other as well.

You know, you see like even last night a school attack was low and those are 2 really good teams to go offensive teams in the top 7.18, the country offensively.

But you playing for the 3rd time, know every what everybody's doing, every move they make, what what?

You know, what offense they run, what they like to do to keep to put down to not to put down.

I think now you can see something different.

And sometimes it turns out that first gamer to the scoring goes up.

And so I think we're really, really excited that you guys excited to play the terms of play.

Something new I think brings a new level of excitement.

That's right.

Kentucky.

West Linn the opponent for the Lakers.

>> They are the 16 Grand Valley is the number 3 seed Valley.

The Downing Michigan Tech.

60 to 54 the final score.

Really?

Let's talk a bit about the the student athlete side of this.

You and I talking off camera how last week in the midst of the 3 candidates for the gliac tournament, you had your exams.

You're trying to finish out a master's degree.

What's that like for you as a student athlete?

>> Yeah, this whole year has been a little difficult with school.

Just having a big load on the fly Masters in accounting program.

And last week was midterm.

Still ahead, the project due on Friday, midterm by governmental and not-for-profit.

Plus.

So it's trying to really focus on the like minute by time.

Well, but then when I go to practice, be present there, and then once I got that done, I felt like a weight off my shoulders like going to the weekend and good focusing the game.

So now we're on spring break and you can just focus on the tournament and that some funds so feeling good.

>> Mike is a challenge as a coach.

You know, your players have a lot more on their mind.

It's that just basketball.

>> Well, they do.

And we forget that sometimes coaches and we forget what they've got going on.

You know what there their academic load and these guys take it so seriously.

You know, you just you forget that it's just a we've tried to do this and again, maybe some somewhat that's what's good for our bodies.

But we try to take 2 days a week off and you just to give them will be the time to decompress.

But it was on the Emily humid ashes in the gym anyway.

So I know what I mean when we practice or not, these these young ladies are in there, you know, trying to get better to game, especially now down the down the stretch.

You know, there they're locked in.

You know, again, it doesn't guarantee is ending, but Magic is a good chance.

>> Gliac tournament champions and to Kentucky, West Linn here, the opponent, that will be a vast London, the regional tournament.

Thank you to both of you are there.

We'll be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues here in Wgu.

>> What's going on?

Laker Nation.

My name to the coast owner with the Grand Valley State Sports report and this is your Laker update.

The Grand Valley State men's and women's track and field teams will head to Virginia Beach, Virginia to compete at the division.

2 NCAA nationals beginning on March 10th and running into March.

11th the 2023 national championships set to have a total of 540 athletes.

270 men and 270 women competing this year.

A selection committee announced that 28 athletes from Grand Valley State will be competing with 16 student athletes on the men's side and 12 on the women's side.

The women's team will consist of 5 and field athletes, 5 distance runners and one dmr spot.

While the men's team will consist of 7 field athletes.

3 distance runners tend to rely spots.

The Laker men are looking to defend their 2022.

NC Double a D to indoor track and field national championship title and claim their second national indoor title in program history.

Women are hoping to claim their national title after finishing as the 2022 indoor runner up the men's and women's teams both currently ranked 4th in the national polls.

>> The June issue men's basketball team travel to Lake Superior State this past Wednesday.

It was the opener of the gliac Tournament court and Steam avenged to regular season losses to the Lakers.

Which man joins me now via zoom to tell us more about that than another game that would follow coach.

Welcome.

>> Hey, how you doing this morning?

Thank you.

>> Yeah, doing well and we'll get into the 2 games you guys played here in the gliac tournament.

But the opener you knew you have to take Alex Pearce State for the 3rd time this year.

They had played really well.

The 1st half.

You not talk about that recently, but you guys came back with a big 2nd half to nearly knock him off in Allendale and the first time you saw them in the year, you played a really tight game down to the wire there at their place.

So tell us more about the mindset you're going to Lake Superior State CLE Act tournament.

You want to win and advance.

Talk about your game plan going in.

>> What a game plan was.

To be honest with you.

I mean, as you indicated, both game very closely, it was very close in this game would arm some of the things we did not do.

I think we took care of the ball and and a a games prior to the last game and I didn't think we rebound it.

Well, we we didn't do a great job.

If in the post they were playing very physical, unable to get the ball inside and finish at the rim.

And so what we want to make sure we did when we play this last game was to legally play physical match or exceed their physicality.

Then we had to beat him on the glass is that was a month and we were able to do that and so pound for pound.

They are really, really good team.

And I thought I thought they deserved to the when a year.

And I thought that, well, I thought they deserved to win the second game, even though of course, we thought we fought our but I thought we deserved that last win.

Even though we actually probably play the worst of the 3 contests.

We probably played the worst in the last game.

But I think we have no resolve.

And the note we were really, really go in with enough to stay with it and stick with it and get get the W. >> Yeah, some of the numbers are kind of go into more what you're saying.

So you as a team, just 9 turnovers did a great job.

Taking care of the ball.

You did out rebound.

34 32 the physicality showing up.

You had more 3 pointers in the game than they did.

But but to your last point there about that resiliency having to overcome the adversity, the 2nd half you're down 10, they had come out with a 6, 0, run in the 2nd half to start things, corn, all that stuff.

You're on the road.

It's an open are very good team there.

Their hot start, the 2nd half and now you're down double digits.

What are you guys talking about at that point?

>> It was just a fight.

I mean, just just just ability to to come out and continue to fight 1, 1, brick at a time, be able to build the 2nd half and finished one brick at a time.

And I don't think the guys mentally ever gave and no matter what was happening they never gave in.

And I think they had such a belief throughout the remaining part of the game.

I think they had such a belief it just came to fruition.

We've got Mars, our captain and he's he's a very he's a very good captain.

But he's a very outspoken young man.

And and not not only he had a lot to say, but but I thought they all were saying the right things to each other.

And for that reason, I think we did get the win.

>> Try to pull other key categories, Grande Valley and points off turnovers.

17, nothing advantage there and in bench points.

Huge advantage for Grand Valley.

A difference of 26 points in the bench production.

So Grand Valley Beats Lake Superior State.

They would advance in the gliac tournament semifinal against Michigan Tech and coach.

They were hot behind the line that was ended up being one of the big difference makers tech edges you buy for as they get 16 threes in this game.

>> Yeah, well, so so tech is a really good team intends shooting, especially.

That's what they do.

And obviously they shot a great percentage.

Did we have some lapses in defense in the 1st half?

We did.

And in terms of the 11 guys get clean, looks once you let a team like that, get clean votes, they get come from Bility to get comfortable with with taken and making shots.

And and that's what they did.

You know, I I don't think so.

So most games, but especially toward the end of the season and definitely in its last game against Michigan Tech.

The conversation was we have to beat them on a glass by 13 to win this game.

Now we did get to the perspective when and in the last game we play them at home.

Offensive rebounds was tied.

88, however, we scored 6 points.

They scored 15 on second chance and you cannot let teams like them to shoot the ball will get another shot opportunity at the basket because obviously the costs.

Now with that we we pounded the ball inside and both our bigs did a great job scoring at the rim in this last game.

We didn't do a great job and we pounded inside.

We didn't do a great job in some areas.

I don't think we took care of all.

We had 7 turnovers in the 1st half.

That's not good.

And then but the biggest deal was we had a rebound by 13 or more and they actually outrebounded us and so big.

And so I that conversation, we have a very blunt, very direct conversation with the guys about what is going to take.

And then when you don't do what is going to take, we didn't do it.

And so you don't get to when you have to earn and deserve it.

And we did not.

>> Yeah, job I-4 Grand Valley ends the season 18 12 overall.

Before we let you go here, want to get word from you about your seniors, those guys that saw their playing careers come to a close talk about them.

>> Well, you know, we we had which for guys, 3 of which already have their degree, they're already very accomplished young man.

Isaiah, you, Daniel in Kingsley, all will have a degree when they walk away.

The thing that I'm very hopeful for, they are absolutely high-level young men, high character young and they will do great things in life.

I can see them all being great husband's great fathers, all of those things as they move forward.

What I what my hope and my prayer areas for them is that they understand that they are about to take a hugely from one part of life to the next part of life.

And when they make that me, I want them to recognize the accomplishments made okay, basketball or I don't accomplishments made in life and academics and take that car and we had a great year so they should feel great about that.

But take that confidence out into the real world and attack the real world.

Because the real where the real world is hard to stretches, it's not easy.

But when you step out with confidence and faith which I hope they have old you step out and confidence and faith, then they should be they should have a great start to work out.

Hope for them to be a great life.

>> Well, it's a great track that they're on.

And yes, we wish them the best.

And certainly you guys as well as you get this program going on the road right now.

Recruiting as you take a few minutes to talk with us about the year.

Cornell, thank you.

Congrats on a really good season.

18 winds had some big ones definitely down the stretch as well.

We appreciate you throughout the year.

>> Thank you very much.

Look forward to next year and coming back and get on the show.

>> All right.

Thanks.

Coach will be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues in Wgu.

>> If Grande Valley doesn't have the premiere crew of women's track and field for us this year, it's not for lack of trying or recruiting diligence.

Judith S I out right from the Netherlands a few years ago to become a national champion.

And only in a moment, a story is just as compelling offer.

Last step before Allendale was West Lafayette, Indiana.

Elaine is a rival anywhere in America.

Wasn't assured until her father came here from Nigeria to finish his education.

Now as a result, Alaina in June to give Grande Valley a shot at a one-two finish in the weight.

Throw at the upcoming NCAA indoor national meet in Virginia.

>> My first meet was a little shaky.

I've continued to progress.

Some of the really I'm ahead of where I was last year.

So I'm really happy about that.

And then that one into opportunity, I mean, duties, a role model to me.

She's I look up to her as a friend as a teammate.

And if we could go on into that would be a dream.

>> Last spring during the indoor season, Elaine, it wasn't considered a top tier competitor until the Nationals may steady headway under the tutelage assistant coach Matt only their work paid off and Pittsburg, Kansas, where Alina hit the mark of 19.8, 4 meters wishing 4th at the NCAA me where she wasn't even expected to be in the top 15 this year.

She and her coach are making the same kind of progress again with a big boost from some Iowa, the senior elder of this year squat.

>> It's huge for sure.

I came in here with about guide.

Never never got in the way of the gun.

The hammer event that was key to the brand new to me and without mask.

I definitely would not be where I am right now.

>> Everybody needs kind of the mentor person.

And so having somebody to, you know, there every day in training, the kind of model your behavior after and to kind of look up to and learn from and that those who do really good job of communicating, I think this is going generous with sharing all the things that she is learned with Alanna certainly.

>> And most meets the point totals put up by Elaine today.

And that's I a we are an expected part of the Lakers scoring hall.

But then a national meet a one-two finish by athletes from the same school.

Almost guarantees their team a top 5 finish or better.

It's with that thought in mind that today feel she, NSA Maya could help all of their teammates achieve a medal-winning experience in Virginia Beach.

>> I would definitely think so.

I mean, even last year when it comes to national me, I will see it 17 going into it.

We have ended up with a fourth-place finishes even though we didn't win that me.

I bring in more point.

That's all we can do that I did like that's all you can ask for from your teammates is just doing the absolute best they can and then the most points.

>> The exciting part is he's a little bit ahead of where you're going to kind of get some similar reaction to prep her for the national mood that we might do that.

>> And even a bigger number at the National News with a year remaining in the Grand Valley career.

Alina, a moment still has room to improve in.

There are other events like the hammer throw where she top the 54 meter mark last year and the shot put.

But even if she stays focused on just the weight throw, she'll be well placed to continue.

Grande Valley's budding national dynasty in women's throwing events even after the graduation of Judith S might the Grand Valley State sports report.

I'm Tom clear.

>> And that is all the time that we have this week here in the Grand Valley State Sports report GB issue women's basketball was selected as a number 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will take on 6 seed Kentucky.

Wesley, the first few rounds of the tournament will be hosted by number one seed Ashleigh TV issue.

Swimming and diving will compete in the NCAA championships this week.

The meat will last 5 days starting Tuesday and running until Saturday and will take place in Indianapolis at the natatorium TVs you track and field will also head to the NCAA Indoor championships in Virginia Beach this weekend.

The two-day event is set for Friday and Saturday as the Lakers look for another spot on the podium for upcoming games as well as live broadcast.

Every Laker athletic program visit GVSU Lakers dot com for more of the show.

Head over to our YouTube channel at YouTube Dot com Slash Wgu.

35 make sure you hit the subscribe button to get updated videos and highlights all year long with the entire crew here.

Wgu I'm Steve Lloyd-Jones have a great week Laker Nation and as always, thank you out