WBB falls 77-75 to GVSU in exhibition game

MILWAUKEE – Lauren Van Kleunen's 3-pointer from the right corner was off its mark as the buzzer sounded in a 77-75 loss by the No. 19 Marquette University women's basketball team to Grand Valley State in exhibition action on Thursday evening at the Al McGuire Center.

Following Cassidy Boensch's go-ahead bucket with 4.9 seconds remaining, MU senior Danielle King drove from the top of the key to the free throw line to hit Van Kluenen for the potential game winner. King posted a Marquette-high 22 points, while Van Kleunen added 15.

Allazia Blockton, who scored 18 for the Golden Eagles, tied the game at 75 with a putback on a Natisha Hiedeman miss with 1:22 remaining.

Boensch posted a game-high 28 points for the Lakers, who shot 50 percent to MU's 39.4 percent for the game.

The Lakers made their first four field goal attempts of the night and seven of their first 11 to build an early advantage. Marquette was able to tie the contest at 13 on a Van Kleunen 3-pointer before GVSU ripped off a 14-4 run spanning the end of the first quarter to pull out to its largest lead of the game, 27-17.

Van Kleunen led the way for MU in the first half with 13 points, while Blockton added 10. Boensch posted 14 first half points for the Lakers, who shot 7-of-14 from the floor in each of the first two quarters.

MU rebounded from a 42.9 percent showing in the first quarter by shooting 56.3 percent in the second frame.

The Golden Eagles officially open the 2018-19 campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 6, hosting South Dakota State at 11:30 a.m. CT.

Keep up with the Marquette University women's basketball program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteWBB) and Instagram (@MUWBB) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteWBB). For tickets contact the Marquette Ticket Office at (414) 288-4668 (GOMU), by email or on Twitter (/MUTicketOffice).