MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team was defeated Thursday (Feb. 25), 63-60 in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) match-up.

The Cardinals headed into the locker room trailing by 13 and would not be able to gain the lead back throughout the contest.  Junior Brittany Burkhardt (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Central HS) led the way for Saginaw Valley with six points and three rebounds in the first half. 

Saginaw Valley came out strong in the second half, as they came back for the 13 point deficit cutting the lead to only one with 2:35 left in the game.  The comeback would not be enough as the Wildcats connected on two free throws to take the win.  Junior Rhonda Gusa (Harbor Beach, Mich.) netted nine points, while both senior Jenna Saarela (Saugatuck, Mich.) and freshman Grace Herzog (Linden, Mich., Powers Catholic HS) added six points.  Burkhardt finished the night with 17 points for the Cardinals.

With the loss Saginaw Valley falls to 7-19 overall on the season, and 5-16 in the GLIAC, while Northern Michigan improves to 18-8 overall on the season, and 15-6 in the GLIAC.  The Cardinals will return to action on Saturday (Feb. 28) when they travel to Michigan Tech to take on the Huskies for their final contest of the season.  Tipoff is scheduled for 1:00pm.