Lakers capitalize on Hawks’ turnovers, end dream season in NCAA regional quarterfinals

ALLENDALE, Mich. — The Quincy University women’s basketball team discovered a direct correlation between the number of turnovers it committed and the size of the deficit it faced.

As one increased, so did the other.

Grand Valley State was responsible for both.

The Lakers, the No. 2-ranked team in NCAA Division II and the top-seeded team in the Midwest Regional, forced the eighth-seeded Hawks to commit 17 turnovers in the first half Friday night and turned those into 27 points, which led to a 108-72 victory in the region quarterfinals at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.

“We gave them the ball too many times,” Quincy coach Courtney Boyd said.

It was the manner in which the Hawks (25-8) turned the ball over that hurt as much as the number of turnovers.

“If they were deadball turnovers, we have a chance,” Boyd said. “But they weren’t. The liveball turnovers killed us.”

It created a 35-14 deficit at the end of the first quarter and a 63-31 deficit by halftime. The Lakers scored the game’s first 10 points, went on a 16-0 run the second quarter and shot 63.9 percent from the field in the first half.

Grand Valley State shot 60.3 percent from the field overall and 81 percent from the free-throw line, going 17 of 21. Quincy shot 51 percent from the field, but just 50 percent from the line, going 14 of 28. The Hawks also went 6 of 11 from 3-point range.

The problem came back to turnovers. Quincy committed 25 overall, while Grand Valley State committed just 12.

Despite the sizable deficit, the Hawks outscored the Lakers 24-23 in the third quarter to help remind themselves and those watching what they’re capable of doing.

“The way that we finished the second half of that game is the team that we are,” Boyd said.

Nicole McDermott led the Hawks with 22 points and four assists, while Mikayla Huffine and Cymirah Williams had 10 points apiece. The Lakers’ Rylie Bisballe, who is the two-time Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, scored 17 points as Grand Valley State had five players in double figures.

The Lakers (33-2) will face fourth-seeded Wayne State in Saturday’s semifinals. The Warriors (20-11) beat fifth-seeded Lewis 77-57, eliminating the Great Lakes Valley Conference in the process.