UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team hosted the Ashland University Eagles in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) match-up. The Cardinals defeated the Eagles by a score of 77-63, running their winning streak to three games.
The Cardinals came out with some defensive intensity and for the third-straight game, limited their opponent to five points or less at the first media timeout, as they led by a score of 10-5 at the 14:46 mark. SVSU would extend its lead to 11 points with 8:14 remaining in the first frame when senior forward Keithan Jackson (Grand Rapids, Mich./Godwin Heights HS) made good on a three-pointer to make it a 22-11 game.
A triple by freshman Mike Schaaf (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill HS) at the 4:51 mark gave SVSU its largest lead of the half at 30-13. Ashland would score eight of the next 10 points to cut the lead to 11, but four straight free throws by sophomore Michael Fugate (White Lake, Mich./Lakeland HS) would give the Cards a 15-point advantage, leading 36-21 with 1:19 left in the half. Ashland, however, would score the next four points to cut the Cardinal lead to 11, where the score would remain heading into halftime with SVSU leading by a score of 36-25.
Jackson, Fugate and junior Sean Romsek (Fowlerville, Mich.) all had eight points in the first half to lead all scorers, with Jackson leading all rebounders with six. Sophomore Jay Thames (Port Huron, Mich./Northern HS) added seven points on 3-of-3 shooting in the half.
SVSU shot 42.9% from the floor in the opening 20 minutes while holding the Eagles to 33.3%, including 0% from three-point range. The Cardinals hit on 6-of-15 triples for a 40% mark in the half.
The second half saw the Eagles cut into the deficit right off the bat, cutting the Cardinal lead to three points when the score was 42-39 at the 15:26 mark. The game would then be tied at the 11-minute mark at 47 points-apiece. A triple by Romsek with 5:03 remaining gave SVSU a nine point lead at 66-57.
Four clutch free throws by sophomore Chris Webb (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill HS), combined with a Jackson freebie and dunk by junior Greg Foster (Indianapolis, Ind./TC Howe HS) moved the lead to 14 points with 25 seconds left, which is where the score would remain, with the Cardinals closing-out with the 77-63 victory.
Fugate earned Meijer "Player of the Game" honors after finishing with a game-high 17 points and adding five rebounds. Jackson posted a double-double, netting 14 points and 11 rebounds. Romsek added 11 points and Webb had 10, including going 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. Foster chipped-in with nine points, all coming in the second half.
The victory improves the Cardinals to 7-8 overall on the season and 3-6 in the GLIAC while the Eagles fall to 8-7 overall and 2-6 in league play. SVSU is back in action on Saturday (1/22), as they host Lake Erie College in a 1:00 pm contest. The game follows SVSU's Community Youth Day Free Soccer Clinic, which runs from 11:30-12:30 at SVSU.