The Basics

Score: Saginaw Valley 75, No. 19 Lake Superior State 70
Records: SVSU (12-3 8-1 GLIAC) | LSSU (12-3, 7-2 GLIAC)
Location: James E. O'Neill Jr. Arena - University Center, Mich.

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The SVSU men's basketball team squared-off with the No. 19 ranked Lake Superior State University Lakers on Thursday (Jan. 14) night in a matchup between the top two teams in the GLIAC. After grabbing a quick lead and almost leading the entire game, the Cardinals held off a late charge and sealed a five-point victory, 75-70.

The victory gave SVSU sole possession of first place in the GLIAC, holding a one game lead over Lake State both overall and in the North Division.

The Cardinals jumped ahead early in the game after back-to-back buckets from C.J. Turnage, one a mid-range jumper and the second a dunk off an inbounds pass from Kellen Smith.

SVSU maintained the lead until the 13:44 mark, when the Lakers took their first and only lead of the evening at 12-11 after a layup from Jake Blake at the 13:44 marker of the opening half.

The teams tied it up twice, the second coming at 15-15, until the cards went on a 7-0 run to make the score 22-15 with 8:37 showing on the clock. That run consisted of five points from Damon Bozeman and was finished-off with a pair of free throws from Smith. 

Saginaw Valley pushed its lead out to as many as nine (30-21) in the opening period twice, the first coming after a pair of free throws from Bozeman with 1:49 showing on the clock and the second when Turnage made good on a layup with 1:12 left on the clock to make the score 32-23.

The Lakers took the lead down to six points after Josh Goldschmidt make a jumper to make the score 34-28, which is where it would stand heading into the half.

Lake Superior got within three points (39-36) of SV at the 14:29 minute mark. The Cardinals responded strongly, pulling ahead by 13 points after a tip-in and three point shot from Garrett Hall with 11:48 left in the game.

The Cardinals increased the lead from there and got their first double-digit lead at the 12:22 mark of the second frame when Garrett Hall tipped-in his own miss to make the score 46-36. A triple from hall followed on SV's next possession, giving the home team its largest lead of the game at 49-36.

LSSU worked its was back and trailed by five points (61-56) with 7:02 to play after a stretch where Akaemji Williams scored 15 straight points for the visitors. 

After SV led by nine points once more, the Lakers scored eight in a row and cut the deficit to just one point at 65-64 with 3:39 showing on the clock. 

The teams traded buckets and SV led 67-66 at the 1:55 marker, but four consecutive points from Hall made the lead five points (71-66) and a pair of foul shots from Bozeman increased it to seven points at 73-66 with just 14 ticks left. 

Williams made a layup for the visitors to make the score 73-68 but they were forced to foul again and Mitchell Baenziger drilled a pair of freebies with four seconds left to make the lead seven points again at 75-68.

From there, Williams made a long jumper as the clock expired, but it wasn't near enough as the Cardinals held on for the victory, 75-70.

Inside the Boxscore

• Bozeman led the Cardinals with 22 points, going 8-of-13 from the floor. He had a game-high eight rebounds as well. The 22 points matched a season-high as well.
• Turnage added 20 points, six rebounds and three assists for SV.
• Hall contributed 13 points, six rebounds and two assists for the Cardinals.
• Caleb Davis posted seven points and five rebounds with two blocks and a steal. The two blocks tied a career-best.
• Smith had a game-high eight assists, adding four points, thre boards and a pair of steals. His eight assists tied him for the all-time lead in career assists. One more and the record will be his alone. 
• LSSU shot 49.1% (28-57) from the floor while the Cardinals were 26-of-57 (45.6%).
• SVSU held a decisive edge on the glass, out-rebounding the Lakers, 42-26.
• The Cardinal bench out-scored the Laker Bench, 20-12, and the teams were even at 38-38 for points in the paint.
• Akaemji Williams led the Lakers with 36 points, going 15-of-27.

Meijer "Player of the Game"

Bozeman was named the Meijer "Player of the Game" after scoring a team-best 22 points and grabbing a game-high eight rebounds. 

From Head Coach Randy Baruth...

Up Next for SVSU

Saginaw Valley makes the short trip to Northwood University on Saturday (Jan. 16) for a 6:00 p.m. matchup with the Timberwolves. Northwood is coming off an 88-66 loss at Hillsdale on Thursday night. The game will be played in the Riepma Arena, which is inside the Bennett Sports Complex.

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