UNIVERSITY CENTER - In a matchup of teams that were tied in second place heading into Thursday (Feb. 5), the Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team hosted the nationally 21st-ranked Lake Superior State University Lakers in a matchup of 13-2 GLIAC teams. In a game where both teams struggled from the field, the Cardinals posted a 56-52 victory over the visitors to complete the regular season sweep for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
The victory over Lake Superior, coupled with a 68-60 Ferris State loss to Michigan Tech, puts the Cardinals back in a tie with the Bulldogs for first place in the GLIAC. Both teams hold 18-4 overall records and 14-2 marks in league play.
In a first half where neither team led by more than four points, the Cards responded to an early Lake State three-pointer by knocking down two of their own after Caleb Davis and Garrett Hall found the bottom of the net to take a 6-3 lead at the 17:10 mark.
The Lakers took their largest lead of the half after five consecutive points from Mike Smutny to make the score 12-8 with 11:03 to play in the half.
After trailing by one (18-17) at the 6:29 marker, SVSU used a Kellen Smith layup and a Hall triple to take its biggest lead of the game with 5:15 showing on the clock and the score 22-18.
The visitors would take the lead back and hold a 25-24 edge with 3:15 to play. There would be no other points scored in the first half and that same 25-24 score is what would carry the squads into the halftime break.
Both teams struggled shooting in the first half, as SVSU hit on 33.3% (8-24) of its shots while the Lakers posted a 35.7% (10-28). LSSU held a slight 20-19 edge on the glass and posted a 14-8 advantage in the paint.
Hall had 10 first half points, connecting on 4-of-9 shots and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. He added six first half rebounds as well.
LSSU knocked-down consecutive triples to open the second half to make it a seven point lead at 31-24, marking their largest advantage of the night at the 18:28 marker.
SVSU scored the next seven points, however, capping the run with a triple by Caleb Davis to knot the score at 31-31.
After the Lakers built the lead back out to six points, the Cards worked their way back and grabbed a 42-40 advantage after three consecutive layups by C.J. Turnage.
The game would be tied for an eighth time with the score 50-50 and 2:52 showing on the game clock. Lake State's Jake Blake made a reverse layup to put the visitors up a pair with 2:13 on the clock.
The Lakers then intentionally put Turnage on the line for foul shots. The Cardinals' leading scorer but 44.8% free throw shooter responded in a big way, hitting both freebies to tie the game at 52-52 with just under two minutes to play.
After a missed shot on the other end and a secured rebound for the home team, LSSU fouled Smith to put him on the charity stripe for a pair of shots. He would respond as well, finding the bottom of the net with both to make the score 54-52.
The Lakers' Alex Williams then missed on the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity, giving the ball back to SVSU. The Cardinals would give it right back, however, with a turnover.
A timeout would come next and Williams would come out and miss a triple next, but teammate Devin Daly got the offensive rebound and attempted a layup of his own. His shot missed and was finally secured by SVSU's Davis, who was fouled.
Davis came through in the clutch as well from the line, drilling both foul shots to extend the lead out to 56-52 with just under eight seconds remaining.
The Lakers got off a couple more shots, both falling no-good and the Cardinals secured the four-point victory, 56-52.
SVSU finished with the advantage on the glass, grabbing 41 rebounds compared to LSSU's 34. The Cards overcame the Lakers' 15 points off 19 turnovers and the visitors' 32-26 edge in the paint. There were nine ties and 15 lead changes in the contest.
Turnage was named the Meijer "Player of the Game" for his efforts. He scored 15 points, 13 in the second half, and added five rebounds, three assists and a steal in the game.
Hall had 12 points, seven boards and a steal while Davis added 11 points and six rebounds. Bozeman grabbed nine rebound and added seven points.
The Cardinals head to Northwood University (12-10, 8-8 GLIAC) on Saturday (Feb. 7) for a GLIAC North Division matchup that's set to begin at 6:00 pm in the Bennett Sports Center. Saginaw Valley claimed the earlier matchup between the teams this year, a 98-94 overtime victory on January 17th.
