KENOSHA, Wis. - The Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team fell to Wisconsin Parkside, 83-68 in their first contest of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic tonight (Nov. 18).  With the loss the Cardinals fall to 0-2 on the season, while the Rangers improve to 2-0.

The Cardinals would find themselves down five early in the contest, but would manage to tie the game at 12-12 when Brett Beland (Menominee, Mich./Menominee HS) drained a jumper, and would take the 15-14 lead with just over ten minutes to go when Mike Schaaf (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill HS) made his second three-pointer of the game.

With just over four minutes remaining in the first half, Saginaw Valley would grab their biggest lead of the first half when junior Jay Thames (Port Huron, Mich./Port Huron Northern HS) made a jump shot from the floor giving SVSU a six-point advantage over the Rangers. Wisconsin-Parkside would take the lead from the Cardinals with just 1:25 left in the half, taking the 28-27 lead into the locker room.

Saginaw Valley would take their only lead of the second half when Michael Fugate connected on a jump shot for a 33-31 lead with 18:01 left in regulation. From there, the Cardinals would be unable to capture the lead again in the half, as Wisconsin-Parkside went on to a 83-68 victory over Saginaw Valley. Fugate ended the night with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists. 

The Cardinals were lead by Meijer "Player of the Game," Chris Webb (Saginaw, Mich. / Arthur Hill HS) who posted a team high 19 points and two steals.  Thames would finish the night with a game high 11 rebounds and and two blocked shots. Saginaw Valley shot 78.3% from the charity stripe for the game.

The Cardinals will be back in action on Saturday (Nov. 19) when they take on Minnesota-Duluth in their second game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic . Tip off is scheduled for 6:00 PM EST.