NICOLE KAMIN

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paige Vanstee totaled 25 points and nine rebounds to help Grand Valley State beat Indiana (PA) 72-49 on Saturday and win a second straight Division II championship.

Grand Valley State, the top seed, finishes 36-1 in snagging its third overall championship in three trips to the final. The Lakers lost one game last season — by two points — on its way to the title under Mike Williams.

Its only loss this season under Williams was a 78-77 defeat at the hands of Wayne State in early February. Williams has won two straight WBCA NCAA Division II coach of the year awards.

Vanstee made 9 of 11 shots with two 3-pointers and 5 of 7 free throws for the Lakers. She added three steals and three blocks.

Nicole Kamin, a redshirt senior from Escanaba, and MacKenzie Bisballe both scored 18. Kamin added five rebounds and four assists, while Bisballe grabbed seven boards and blocked five shots.

Teresa Maggio scored 20 to lead the second-seeded Crimson Hawks (31-4), who advanced — under the guidance of coach Craig Carey — to the championship game for the first time in program history.

Bisballe and Kamin both had two baskets as the Lakers jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first 4:22 and never looked back. They led 17-8 after one quarter, 41-24 at halftime and 58-35 heading to the final period.

Grand Valley State shot 62.2% overall, including 38.5% from 3-point range. Indiana (PA) shot 31.1% and missed 10 of 12 from beyond the arc.

Grand Valley State beat American International 58-52 to win the 2006 championship under coach Dawn Plitzuweit.

Williams coached for a number of years at the high school level, where he was head coach of the girls varsity team at Hancock from 1989 to 2000. Those teams recorded a 207-51 (.802) mark, winning eight district championships and four regional titles. For five seasons, he was also the head coach of the varsity boys team at Hancock, owning a 72-36 (.667) record.

He began his coaching career at Ironwood High School, as head coach of the girls varsity team in 1986. A few years later, Williams moved to the collegiate ranks.

GANNON ADVANCES

Gannon used a second half rally Friday to beat Oklahoma Baptist 98-80 and secure a spot in their second-ever NCAA Division II men’s basketball national championship game. It will be the first time since 1987 that Gannon has competed for the national title.

Gannon will play Lander for the men’s championship in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Sunday, April 5, at 1 p.m. Eastern time.

The Golden Knights reached the semifinals after a 75-49 win over Michigan Tech on Wednesday.

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The Daily News contributed.