GAME 17

Grand Valley State University Lakers (7-2) vs. Lake Erie College Storm (8-8)

When: Wednesday Dec. 30, 2009 - 1 p.m.

Where: Jerome T. Osborne Family Athletic and Wellness Center -Painesville, Ohio

Radio Broadcast: ESPN 970 WFUN-AM (Craig Deas, play-by-play)

Live Stats: www.lec.edu/ath_stats/livestats/wbk/xlie.htm

Series History: Grand Valley State leads 1-0 Last Meeting (Result): Nov. 18, 2008 (GVSU won 65-51 in Allendale, Mich.) 2009

COMES TO AN END AS STORM HOSTS LAKERS: The Lake Erie College women?s basketball team looks to stop a two-game losing streak when it closes out the 2009 calendar year Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 30, against Grand Valley State University at the Jerome T. Osborne Family Athletic & Wellness Center. The Storm, which has lost four-of-five, is coming off a pair of tough losses on the road at Cleveland State and, most recently, at Tiffin Monday night (Dec. 28). The Lakers had their seven-game win streak snapped at Hillsdale in their last game back on Dec. 19.

GVSU SERIES HISTORY: This is just the second meeting between Lake Erie and Grand Valley State in women?s basketball. The Lakers won the only previous meeting, 65-51, at home Nov. 18, 2008.

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE STORM: Lake Erie recovered from a slow start to each half, but Tiffin finished stronger in an 87-82 victory over the Storm Monday night in Tiffin. The Storm fell behind 8-0 to open the game, but trailed by just a point at halftime. After falling behind by as many as 13 in the second half, LEC again rallied, taking the lead with just over eight minutes left. But Tiffin outscored the Storm 17-12 over the final five minutes behind Mandy Jaeb. Jaeb scored nine of her game-high 29 points in the final three minutes. For the Storm, junior Alyssa Wagers (Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls) led the way with 17 points and 14 rebounds. She was joined by four others in double figures: sophomore Jen Caiola (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) with 13, senior Renese Ames (Bedford, Ohio/Bedford) and sophomore Stephanie Rogers (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) with 12 and junior Brittany Zele (Geneva, Ohio/Geneva) with 11 points.

SECOND HALF SURGES: Despite losses in the last two games, the Storm has made big second half runs to throw a scare into its opponent each time. At Cleveland State Dec. 23, Lake Erie trimmed a 17-point deficit to just two midway through the second half of a 74-63 loss. Then, at Tiffin Monday, the Storm climbed out of a 13-point hole to take the lead before falling short 87-82.

WAGERS A GOOD BET FOR A DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Alyssa Wagers recorded her seventh double-double of the season at Tiffin Monday night, leading the Storm with 17 points and 14 rebounds. In 58 career games, Wagers has posted double figures in points and rebounds 20 times (34.5 percent), including four times in the last six games.

NIFTY FIFTY: Senior guard Renese Ames reached double figures in scoring at Tiffin Monday night for the 50th time in her career. It was the 11th time in 16 games this season she has scored double digits, including the last four games in a row (and eight-of-nine overall) 30th

SEASON OF STORM HOOPS: This is the 30th season in Lake Erie women?s basketball history dating back to the 1978-79 season. To date, the Storm has posted an overall record of 160-498 (.240). However, 29 percent of the program?s all-time wins have come in the last five seasons under head coach Bob Booher.

UP NEXT: Lake Erie opens the new year this weekend at the Fairmont State Alumni Classic Jan. 2-3. The Storm wil play Concord University on Saturday and host Fairmont State Sunday