UNIVERSITY CENTER – The Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team opens the 2021-22 regular season with a tough matchup against No. 7 Hillsdale College at 3 pm Friday at the James E. O'Neill Jr. Arena.
The Cardinals look to build on a season in 2020-21, which saw the Cardinals finish with a record of 5-12 overall and 4-11 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
SVSU entered the GLIAC Tournament last season as the No. 9 seed. The Cardinals topped the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in the opening round on the road before knocking off No. 1 seed Wayne State University in the quarterfinals. The season ended with a loss in the semifinals to Ashland University.
The Cardinals are led by Head Coach Randy Baruth, entering his 10th season with the program.
Top Returners:
- Delano Smith – Senior – Guard: Smith was second on the team with 16.1 points per game last season and led the team with 6.3 rebounds per contest. Smith was named to the All-GLIAC Second Team.
- Darnell Hoskins Jr. – Senior – Guard: Hoskins averaged 9.3 points, hitting 34.5 percent of his shots from the field.
- Tyrik Singh – Junior – Forward: Played in all 17 games for the Cardinals in 2020-21, averaging 3.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
- Freddie McIntosh – Guard – Freshman: Started to turn it on late in the season last year and finished with 5.0 points per game.
Key Newcomers:
- Tyler Witz – Senior – Forward: Transferred from NCAA DI North Dakota State University prior to the start of the 2021-22 season. Played in 32 games two years ago for the Bison averaging 3.2 points in 9.2 minutes per game.
- Maurice Barnett – Sophomore – Guard/Forward: In his first year with the Cardinals after transferring from the College of Southern Idaho. Averaged 13.7 points per game and was an All-SWAC Honorable Mention in 2019-20.
Schedule at the Glance:
After opening the 2021-20 season on Friday against Hillsdale, SVSU will host Malone University at 3 pm on Saturday. The Cardinals continue nonconference play against NCAA DI Western Michigan University on Nov. 18 in Kalamazoo, Mich.
The Cardinals will travel to Division I power Butler University for an exhibition on Nov. 30 in Indianapolis.
The GLIAC season opens for SVSU on the road at Grand Valley State University at 8 pm on Dec. 2, while the home portion of the conference schedule tips off with rival Northwood University at 8 pm on Dec. 9.
The Cardinals play a nonconference home game to open the new calendar year against Indiana University-Northwest on Jan. 2 before returning to the GLIAC. SVSU will host Alumni Weekend against Michigan Tech on Jan. 15, while Senior Day is will take place against GVSU on Feb. 26.
The GLIAC Postseason Tournament is scheduled for March 1-6 and the NCAA DII National Tournament will take place from March 11-26.
GLIAC Preseason Poll:
The Cardinals were selected to finish fourth in the South Division in the 2021-22 Preseason Coaches' Poll with 20 points. GVSU was picked to win the South with 49 points and nine first-place votes. Michigan Tech was picked to win the North Division with 56 points and six first-place votes.
Chris Jacobi Roundball Club:
The Saginaw Valley State Men's Basketball program has announced the re-naming of their Roundball Club for Christopher Jacobi, who started at point guard for the Cardinals in 1990-1994. Chris, 49, passed away early in the morning on September 5th, 2021. He leaves behind his wife, Morgan, and their four children, Titus, Lucy, Livie, and Jack. Chris was not only a talented player on the court – finishing in the record books for career assists, career made 3's, and career steals – but a standout person off of it.
The program is proud to officially launch the Christopher Jacobi Roundball Club, which will serve as the support group for SVSU Men's Basketball. The funds generated through the Christopher Jacobi Roundball Club are vital in developing the type of quality program that the Cardinal Basketball Family — which includes alumni, parents, friends, and fans — will feel proud to support and that the student-athletes deserve.
The Men's Basketball program is focused on consistently competing for GLIAC championships. In order to be a perennial contender for banners and rings, the resources and funds must be there. The Christopher Jacobi Roundball Club is essential to helping the program reach its maximum potential. The coaching staff and student-athletes ask you to please consider making a donation to help push the program to new heights.
To learn more about the Christopher Jacobi Roundball Club, the various membership levels, and to make a donation, head to https://svsucardinals.com/sports/mbkb/2021-22/roundball
Preseason Interview with Head Coach Randy Baruth:
