The Basics

Score: Saginaw Valley 83, Northern Michigan 79
Records: SVSU (13-4 9-2 GLIAC) | NMU (4-11, 2-9 GLIAC)
Location: Berry Events Center - Marquette, Mich.

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The SVSU men's basketball team was looking to bounce back from Saturday's loss at Northwood as it began its annual trip to the Upper Peninsula, taking on Northern Michigan University on Thursday (Jan. 21) evening. After running out to a 17-point first half lead, SVSU overcame a second half Wildcat charge and held on for an 83-79 victory in a game that featured five ties and 10 lead changes.

After C.J. Turnage got the game's scoring going with an early bucket, the Cardinals would extend the lead to double-digits after Mitchell Baenziger hit on a three-pointer at the 14:55 marker to make the score 16-6.

The lead would reach as many as 17 points with the score 28-11 at the 8:07 marker after Garrett Hall and Caleb Davis hit back-to-back triples for SVSU.

Saginaw Valley led 43-26 with 1:24 to play in the opening half after a Damon Bozeman layup but the Wildcats closed play for the half on an 8-0 run, using two three-pointers and a made jumper to squeeze the lead to seven points at 43-34 heading into the halftime break.

The Cards led all the way until the 12:16 point of the second half, as that's where the Wildcats grabbed their first lead of the game after a Naba Echols jumper made the score 55-54.

The lead bounced back and forth from there, and NMU led as late as the 3:01 mark, when the home squad held a 77-75 edge after a Terry Nash triple.

SVSU would score the next six points of the contest, using a pair of layups from Turnage and a free throw from Bozeman and Davis each, taking the lead back for the visiting team at 81-77 with eight ticks left on the clock. 

A Northern layup with two seconds left made the score 81-79, but two Davis freebies following a Wildcat foul pushed the lead out to 83-79, which is where the final would stand.

Inside the Boxscore

• SVSU shot season-bests of 63.0% (29-of-46) from the floor and 58.3% (7-of-12) from beyond the arc.
• Turnage had a team-best 21 points and five rebounds, adding an assist and a block.
• Boezman added 19 points and four rebounds with a steal.
• Davis chipped-in with 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds.
• Kellen Smith posted a game-best eight assists to go along with five points, two steals and a rebound.
• Garrett Hall added seven points and four boards.
• The Cardinals out-rebounded the Wildcats by a 29-23 margin and posted a 19-10 edge in points in the paint.
• Saginaw Valley remains in first place overall in the GLIAC standings with a 9-2 record, a game ahead of Ferris State, Lake Superior State and Findlay.

Meijer "Player of the Game"

Turnage earned Meijer "Player of the Game" honors after his 21-point, five rebound performance in the victory. 

From Head Coach Randy Baruth...

"We're proud of our guys for digging deep and fighting for a tough road win. We thought the team showed some toughness down the stretch defensively, which allowed us to come out with the win." 

Up Next for SVSU

The Cardinals continue to play at Michigan Tech University Saturday (Jan. 23) in Houghton. The Huskies are coming off a 74-69 home victory over the Hillsdale College Chargers on Thursday evening.

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