UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team dropped a 100-88 decision to visiting Northwood University on Saturday night (Feb. 6).  The loss puts the Cardinals' overall record at 13-8 on the season and 10-6 in the GLIAC.  Northwood improves to 11-9 overall, holding a 10-6 mark in conference play. 

The Cardinals led all the way until the 7:17 mark in the opening half, leading by as many as 10 points, that being with 13:47 remaining in the first.  The Timberwolves would take their first lead of the contest at 21-20, at the 10:10 mark on a layup by Ali Barada.  The lead would change hands several times until Northwood took the advantage at the 5:45 mark, and would lead the rest of the half.  SVSU would enter the locker room at half time down by four, 45-41.  Senior guard Avery Stephenson (Romulus, Mich.) led Saginaw in the opening frame, netting 11 points.  Sophomore guard Greg Foster (Indianapolis, Ind./TC Howe HS) added eight points and three assists in the first 20 minutes.

The Timberwolves continued to shoot well in the second half, shooting 71.4% in the second frame, including 77.8% from beyond the three point line.  SVSU was outscored 55-47 in the second half, and despite a spurt where the Cardinals cut a 22-point lead down to nine, could not complete the comeback.  Stephenson led SVSU in scoring, totaling 16 points in 31 minutes of action.  Junior Dan Genther (Laingsburg, Mich.) scored a season-high 14 points and added a team-high nine rebounds, reaching double-figures for the second-straight contest.  Foster had 12 points on the night.  Freshman guard Chris Webb (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill HS) had 11 points, while fellow freshman guard Brett Beland (Menominee, Mich.) added a career-high 10 points in the game.

SVSU will be back in action on Thursday, Feb. 11, when it travels to Ashland, Ohio to take-on the Ashland University Eagles in a 7:30 pm contest.  The Cardinals will then face Tiffin University on Saturday (Feb. 13) in a 3:00 pm match-up.