Grand Valley State trailed 58-52 to visiting Findlay with 5:48 remaining on Thursday night (Dec. 1) in the GLIAC opener for both teams in Allendale. Findlay would not score again and the Lakers would cap off the terrific 61-58 victory with a game-winning three-pointer from senior Luke Ryskamp with 2.2 seconds to play in a game that featured 18 lead changes and six tie scores.

With the win, GVSU improves to 5-3 on the year and 1-0 in GLIAC play, while Findlay - the preseason pick to win the conference's North Division - falls to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in league action.

The Oilers' six-point lead at 58-52 with 5:48 to go was the biggest advantage in the game for either team. Senior Juwan Starks followed up a missed shot and tipped it back in while in midair, pulling the Lakers within four at 58-54 with 5:14 remaining. Over two minutes elapsed with neither team scoring before fellow senior Trevin Alexander converted a layup, cutting the deficit to two points.

After a Findlay miss, junior Myles Miller drilled a long jumper to tie the ballgame for the sixth time at 58-58 with 2:46 to play. The Laker defense would continue to step up big, forcing Findlay into six consecutive misses and a pair of turnovers in the final crucial minutes.

UF misfired on a three-pointer with 19 seconds left and Alexander grabbed the rebound. GVSU called a timeout and the play was set up for Ryskamp, who joined the 1,000 Point Club on Saturday night against Salem International. Though he struggled offensively for most of the game on Thursday, Ryskamp drove to the right wing, created some separation, stepped back, and drilled the three-pointer to put the Lakers out to a 61-58 lead.

Findlay had a good look on a potential game-tying three-pointer from Martyce Kimbrough as the clock expired, but the trifecta hit off the back iron and GVSU emerged victorious in a great battle between the two rivals. 

Sophomore center Justin Greason came off the bench to lead the Lakers in scoring with 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting, to go with six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. Miller added nine points and junior Drake Baar supplied eight points and five boards, four on the offensive end. Ryskamp posted seven points and seven rebounds.

Despite committing 20 turnovers, the Lakers escaped. Grand Valley State led the rebounding battle 43-32, including a 17-14 edge in offensive boards. The Lakers were also on top in points in the paint (36-22) and second chance points (19-9).

Baar scored the game's first four points after erupting for a career-best 23 points on 10-for-10 shooting against Salem International last Saturday. The game would be back and forth over the first 20 minutes with a dozen lead changes. Junior Danzel Wright and Findlay's Tyler Stern-Tucker traded three-pointers midway through the half, putting Findlay ahead 21-20. A Kimbrough trifecta had the Oilers up 24-20.

Greason then put down his second dunk of the half and Miller buried a three-pointer to put GVSU back out in front, 25-24. The teams would trade leads three more times before Miller scored on a layup with seven seconds remaining in the first half. At the intermission, Grand Valley State was up 29-28. In the first 20 minutes, the Lakers shot 44.8 percent from the field, while Findlay was at 35.5 percent.

The Oilers scored the first six points of the second half and led by five points on three occasions, looking to create some separation. A Greason layup and a jumper from Miller at the 12:00 mark tied the game at 43-all. 

A jumper from Wright was answered by an Oiler three-pointer, keeping Findlay in front at 51-49. The visitors moved up 53-49 before a big trifecta from sophomore Zach West kept GVSU close at 53-52 with just under seven minutes to go. Findlay pushed ahead to 58-52 with five straight points, but the Oilers would not score over the final 5:48 of the game, missing their final 10 shots and committing four turnovers during that last stretch.

For the game, the Lakers shot 45.8 percent from the field and were 5-of-18 from downtown. GVSU was just 2-for-5 at the charity stripe. Findlay finished at a 39.3 percent clip, 7-of-22 from three-point range, and 3-of-8 at the line. 

Grand Valley State is back at home on Saturday night (Dec. 3) at 7:00 p.m., when the Lakers will host Ohio Dominican in the Fieldhouse Arena.