The Basics
Score: Saginaw Valley 66, Grand Valley 56
Records: SVSU (15-4 11-2 GLIAC) | GVSU (14-5, 8-5 GLIAC)
Location: James E. O'Neill Jr. Arena - University Center, Mich.
UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The SVSU men's basketball team faced-off against Grand Valley in a home contest Thursday evening in a GLIAC North Division showdown. After trailing by eight points (38-30) at the half, the Cardinals doubled-up the Lakers in the final 20 minutes, outscoring the visitors by a 36-18 count to close out for a 66-56 victory.
Mitchell Baenziger opened the scoring for the game, making a jump shot at the 18:36 minute mark.
The Lakers were able to pull ahead by seven (9-2) after posting nine unaswered points until Devin Dixon was able to make good on a layup with 13:18 left in the half. The Cardinals trimmed the lead down further to three points after two free throws from Damon Bozeman at the 12 minute mark. that made the score 12-9
The Lakers extended their lead to a game-high of 15 points, 30-15, with six minutes left in the first and the visitors held the lead into the half time break, where they led 38-30 after Dixon hit a layup as time expired in the opening period.
The Cardinals cut the lead further at the start of the second half after a three-pointer from Garrett Hall made the score 42-37 with 16:01 left in the game.
Saginaw Valley kept its momentum, trimming the deficit down to two points after a layup from C.J. Turnage, and a three-point play from Dixon, taking the score to 44-42 at the 13:19 minute mark.
Sterling Johnson made a triple with 9:56 left in the game to tie it up for the Cardinals for the first time at 48-48. Saginaw Valley then took its first lead since the opening minutes after Hall sunk two free throws with 8:47 showing on the clock. Turnage and Johnson knocked in two points each before the Lakers could score, giving the Cardinals a lead of six points, 58-52, at the 5:29 minute mark.
Turnage and Hall each made two free throws, extending the Cardinal lead to 10 points (64-54) with 2:17 left to play. Caleb Davis would then make a pair of freebies to seal the double-digit victory for Saginaw Valley, 66-56.
Inside the Boxscore
- Turnage led the Cardinals with 16 points, adding a season-high nine boards, four assists and three steals.
- Hall recorded 12 points, eight rebounds and three steals.
- Johnson chipped-in with 11 points for Saginaw Valley, going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. The 11 points matched his career-high.
- Dixon posted nine points and matched his career-highs with 11 rebounds and three steals.
- SVSU shot 36.1% (22-61) from the floor while the Lakers were 23-of-56 (41.1%).
- The Cardinals went 16-of-21 (76.2%) from the free throw line compared to Grand Valley's 5-of-8 (62.5%).
- Saginaw Valley's bench outscored the Lakers' by a 34-9 margin. The Cardinals held a narrow 40-39 edge on the glass and 30-28 advantage in points in the paint as well.
- SVSU committed just 10 turnovers and forced 19 Laker turnovers.
- Aaron Hayes led Grand Valley with 22 points, going 8-of-18 from the floor.
Meijer "Player of the Game"
Dixon was named the Meijer "Player of the Game" after his nine points and career-best 11 boards. He added a career-high three steals and a block as well for SVSU.
From Head Coach Randy Baruth...
Up Next for SVSU
Saginaw Valley travels to Ferris State on Saturday (Jan. 30) for a 3:00 p.m. matchup in Big Rapids. The Bulldogs (16-3, 10-3 GLIAC) are in second place in the overall GLIAC standings and are coming off a 79-69 victory at Hillsdale on Thursday evening.
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