The No. 25 Grand Valley State University men’s basketball team (25-6) captured the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) tournament championship after defeating No. 17 Northern Michigan University (27-6) in the conference title game. The Lakers completed a three-game postseason run with wins over Wayne State University (13-14), No. 15 Michigan Technological University (26-6) and Northern Michigan.
The tournament run showcased the Lakers’ ability to control games with defensive pressure, scoring bursts and contributions across the roster as the University secured its first GLIAC tournament title since the 2018-19 season.
GVSU opened the tournament Wednesday, March 4 with an 81-67 quarterfinal victory over Wayne State at the Fieldhouse Arena. The Lakers took control early, building a 47-23 halftime lead behind efficient offense and defensive pressure that forced turnovers and created transition opportunities. In the first half, GVSU shot 50% from the field and connected on nine 3-pointers.
The strong start allowed the Lakers to dictate the tempo throughout the game. Even as Wayne State found some rhythm in the second half, GVSU maintained control and advanced to the GLIAC semifinals.
The victory set up a semifinal matchup Saturday, March 7 against Michigan Tech in Marquette. The Huskies challenged the Lakers early and briefly took momentum late in the first half. Michigan Tech went on a 19-7 run to claim its first lead of the game, 26-24, with just over five minutes remaining before halftime.
GVSU responded quickly. A basket from redshirt junior guard David Wilkerson and two free throws from junior guard Antaune Allen tied the game at 29-29. Then, redshirt senior guard Trevor Smith Jr. knocked down a 3-pointer that tied the contest at 39-39 heading into halftime.
Michigan Tech briefly regained the lead on the first possession of the second half, but the Lakers answered with one of the defining runs of the tournament. GVSU exploded on a 14-1 scoring run to turn a deficit into a 53-45 lead with just over 14 minutes remaining. Wilkerson fueled the surge by knocking down his third 3-pointer of the game, extending the lead to double digits.
Moments later, senior forward Ethan Alderink took over offensively. The forward scored eight consecutive points in a personal run that pushed the Lakers’ lead to 20 points. Another Wilkerson three in transition extended the advantage to 23 points with eight minutes remaining, allowing GVSU to pull away for a 12-point victory at 82-70 and secure a spot in the GLIAC championship game.
Following the win, head coach Cornell Mann praised the collective effort from his roster.
“I thought it was an unbelievable team win,” Mann said. “Our guys played spirited. I thought the seniors and the older guys did a great job being the catalyst and communicating everything (on) both sides of the ball with each other. It was a great team win overall.”
The victory advanced the Lakers to the GLIAC championship game against Northern Michigan. GVSU again emphasized energy early in the contest. Senior guard Mason Docks helped spark the Lakers with four quick points as the team opened the game with an 11-0 scoring run that set the tone.
Docks said the fast start reflected the team’s focus entering postseason play.
“Before the game, there (was) talk about how we wanted to start our playoff run, and it mainly started with just championship effort all around,” Docks said. “I knew we had to bring energy right from the start, and our whole team bought into that.”
The Lakers continued to control the game through defense and ball movement while receiving a major lift from their bench. Wilkerson delivered one of the biggest performances of the tournament, scoring a career-high 25 points and providing a scoring spark whenever Northern Michigan attempted to close the gap.
“(I was) just staying ready to shoot basically,” Wilkerson said. “I’m playing again with two championship guards. They made my job easy. They found me, and I just shot the ball.”
The scoring surge helped GVSU maintain momentum throughout the championship matchup and close out the victory 67-57, securing the GLIAC title.
Looking ahead, Mann emphasized the conference’s depth and competitiveness and the importance of staying true to the team’s identity.
“The league is really tough, no doubt about that,” Mann said. “In my opinion, this is the best year in terms of the league top to bottom. We just have to come out and do what we do — meaning be who we are. Each guy individually and collectively comes out.”
GVSU will enter the National Collegiate Athletic Association Midwest Regional tournament as the number two seed, the team’s first appearance in the bracket since the 2018-19 season.
