The Basics
Score: #7 Grand Valley 63, #6 Saginaw Valley 56 - Midwest Regional Semifinals
Records: GVSU (24-9) | SVSU (22-9)
Location: Kates Gymnasium - Ashland, Ohio
ASHLAND, Ohio - After claiming the program's first NCAA Midwest Regional victory in 23 years Friday over Bellarmine, the no. 6 regionally-ranked SVSU women's basketball team met the no. 7 Grand Valley State University Lakers in the semifinal round, playing the Lakers for the fourth time of the season. In what was a back-and-forth game and an exciting one throughout, the Lakers would come out on top in the contest with a 63-56 victory.
The Lakers opened the scoring in the game and it would be tied 5-5 after Halee Nieman scored SVSU's first five points at the 6:34 marker.
Grand Valley held a 17-9 edge but an Anna Hall layup for SV made the score 17-11 and that's where it would stand as time expired for the opening quarter.
The score showed 26-16 in GV's favor with 7:14 to go in the second but back-to-back triples from Alex Green and Katelyn Carriere, followed by an Emily Wendling layup, cut the deficit to just 26-24 at the 5:40 mark.
Hall would score the final basket of the second quarter as well, hitting on a jumper with 1:34 to play in the half to pull the team to within 35-32 as the half ended.
Wendling opened the second half's scoring with consecutive baskets to give the Cards their first lead of the game at 36-35.
The lead lasted just 14 seconds and GV would hold a 46-41 lead at the 4:34 marker. The game would go scoreless for the three minutes to follow until Katelyn Carriere drilled a shot to make the score 46-43. That three-point lead for the Lakers held heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
Another Katelyn Carriere basket with 4:00 to play in the game made the score 53-51. Back-to-back Lakers scores pushed the lead out to six (57-51) with 2:21 to play.
A Nieman triple with 33 seconds left pulled SVSU to within 59-56, but that was not enough as time was not on the Cardinals' side and the Lakers went 4-of-4 from the line down the stretch and closed out for the victory, 63-56.
Inside the Boxscore
- Wendling posted her 14th double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and pulling down 13 boards.
- Katelyn Carriere had a team-high 13 points and added three boards, two assists, two steals and a block.
- Nieman added a dozen points to the effort and grabbed six rebounds. She chipped-in with three assists.
- Danielle Carriere and Alex Green each had five points in their final contest for the Lady Cardinals. Carriere added five rebounds and a game-high three steals. Green added a steal and an assist as well.
- Anna Hall had six points, six boards, four assists and a steal and Hannah Settingsgaard netted five points, an assist and steal.
- GVSU was 43.9 % from the floor while SVSU shot just 33.3%. Both teams combined for just 11 shots at the line, with the Cards going 2-of-3 at the charity stripe and the Lakers 7-of-8.
- Saginaw Valley posted a 42-40 edge on the glass and 30-26 advantage in the paint.
- The 22 wins for SVSU were the most since the 1987-88 season (25).
- The Cards set a school record for GLIAC wins in a season with 17 for the 2015-16 campaign.
Meijer "Player of the Game"
Wendling was named the Meijer "Player of the Game" after posting a double-double, notching 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. She added a block and an assist in the contest as well.
From Head Coach Jamie Pewinski
"Tonight was definitely not the outcome we wanted, but we played as hard as we could and I'm very proud of our effort. It's been a tremendous season and we have nothing to hang our heads about. We thank our seniors for all the leadershp and hard work over the past four years. Personally, I am thankful for the belief they showed in me and the vision we had to turn this program around. I'm so grateful that they were able to experience and be part of this historic season!"
Up Next for Saginaw Valley
Saginaw Valley's season ends with an overall record of 22-9. After claiming the program's first-ever GLIAC North Division Championship this season, the team will lost just three seniors in Danielle Carriere, Alex Green and Mikayla Silm. They will return a strong blend of talented youth and experienced veterans for the 2016-17 season.
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