By Grace Howard
The Grand Rapids Community College women’s basketball team put on an amazing performance in back-to-back games this past weekend, securing wins over Kellogg Community College and Lake Michigan College. Led by standout performances from redshirt freshmen Olivia McKellar and sophomore Ava Schultz, the Raiders showed their offensive power and defensive work to add two wins to their season.
GRCC Raiders 62, Kellogg CC 46
GRCC set the tone early against Kellogg CC on Wednesday, Feb. 5 in Battle Creek, using an offensive attack and gritty defense to capture a 62-46 win. The Raiders shot an impressive 39.3% from beyond the arc, with McKellar leading the board. McKellar scored 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including an outstanding 5-of-6 from 3-point range.
Redshirt freshman Tianna Daye contributed 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Schultz made her presence on the board with eight rebounds and six points. Despite struggling in the fourth quarter, where they had just two field goals, GRCC’s defense held Kellogg CC back.
Kellogg CC’s freshman Dayshauna Crowley provided 20 points for her team, but it wasn’t enough to counter GRCC’s scoring. The Raiders won the rebounding battle 49-46 and capitalized on their opponent’s 18 turnovers to take the win.
GRCC Raiders 72, Lake Michigan College 53
In their second game on Saturday, Feb. 8, GRCC had another outstanding performance, taking down Lake Michigan College 72-53 in Benton Harbor. This time, Schultz led the way with a double-double. Schultz scored a game-high 24 points while grabbing an incredible 17 rebounds, showcasing her ability to control both ends of the floor.
McKellar followed up her strong performance from the previous game by adding 13 points to Saturday’s contest, while Daye had eight. The Raiders’ defense forced 19 turnovers, leading to 24 points, a main factor in their win.
Lake Michigan College relied on freshman Madison Flowers, who scored 24 points, but the lack of scoring from her teammates allowed GRCC to maintain control throughout the game. The Raiders also dominated the rebounding battle with 53 total rebounds compared to Lake Michigan’s 33.
Despite some struggles at the free-throw line going 12-of-21, GRCC’s pressure and offense secured the 72-53 win over the Red Hawks.
With these two wins, the Raiders are now 7-10. GRCC plays at home on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 5:30 p.m., taking on Southwestern Michigan College at the Ford Fieldhouse.
