The Basics
Score: Michigan Tech 82, Saginaw Valley 57
Records: MTU (17-6, 13-5 GLIAC) | SVSU (19-5, 15-3 GLIAC)
Location: SDC Gymnasium - Houghton, Mich.
HOUGHTON, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team traveled to take on the Michigan Tech University Huskies on Saturday afternoon in a matchup between top teams in the GLIAC North Division. The Cardinals grabbed held a brief early lead, but a hot-shooting Tech team grabbed the lead and never looked back, claiming an 82-57 victory in the SDC Gymnasium.
Despite the loss, senior forward Emily Wendling became the school's new record holder in career free throws and drew to within 72 points of all-time scoring leader, Beverly Sanders.
After SVSU took an early 7-3 lead after two buckets from Emily Wendling, one from Katelyn Carriere and a free throw from Hannah Settingsgaard, the Huskies responded by pulling ahead and scoring 20 first quarter points to take a 20-9 edge into the second quarter. That four point lead was the most the Cards would lead by for the entire contest.
The Cardinals would shoot well in the second 10 minutes of play, hitting on 60.0% (6-10) of their shots from the floor and all six tries from the free throw line. Wendling scored 14 points in the quarter, connecting on 4-of-5 shots and accounting for all six of the free throws. Anna Hall added a pair of field goals to give the visitors 18 points in the quarter. Michigan Tech, however, went for 24 points in the frame, including hitting on all six of their tries from beyond the arc, to carry a 44-27 lead into halftime.
Saginaw Valley held the Huskies to 15 points in the third quarter after applying some defensive pressure, but struggled from the floor and scored 13 points itself. Nine of those came from the charity stripe, with Wendling going 4-of-4 and Carriere (2-2) and Settingsgaard (3-4) adding free throws. Hall and Halee Nieman scored the team's only two field goals in the quarter.
Tech carried a 59-40 lead into the fourth and cemented an 82-57 victory after a 23-17 edge in the final frame.
Inside the Boxscore
- Wendling was named the Meijer "Player of the Game" for SV, totaling 27 points while adding six rebounds and a steal. She was 8-of-13 from the floor and 11-of-11 from the foul line. She now has 1,850 career points, 72 shy of the all-time program record. Saturday marked her 14th 20-plus point performance of the 2016-17 campaign. With her 11 free throws, she also becomes the program's all-time leader in that category, passing the old mark of 440 that she tied on Thursday against Northern Michigan.
- Settingsgaard added 11 points for SVSU while Hall posted seven points, three boards and an assist. The 11 points matched a season and career-high for the sophomore.
- Michigan Tech shot 45.8% (27-59) from the floor while SVSU was 19-of-55 (34.5%).
- The Huskies hit on 11-of-19 tries from deep while SVSU was 1-of-12.
- Tech outrebounded the Cards by a 41-27 margin and held a 16-4 edge in bench points.
- The Cardinals posted a 22-20 advantage in points in the paint.
- Saginaw Valley remains atop the GLIAC North Division Standings by two games with its 15-3 league mark.
- SVSU has clinched a first round home game in the 2017 GLIAC Tournament.
Up Next...
The Cardinals continue play in the Upper Peninsula, as they play at Lake Superior State University on Thursday in their third straight contest above the bridge. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. in Sault Ste. Marie. SVSU defeated the Lakers earlier this season, a 72-51 victory on Jan. 26 at O'Neill Arena.
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