UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team defeated Indianapolis 84-83 on a buzzer-beater three from Freddie McIntosh on Sunday afternoon inside O'Neill Arena. The Cardinals (2-2) shot 53.3% from beyond the arc to inch past the Greyhounds (2-2) in a game with 29 lead changes and 12 ties.
Meijer Player of the Game Maurice Anderson recorded a career-high 21 points on the afternoon. Anderson made 8-of-12 shots from the floor including 4-for-6 from deep to help SVSU secure the win. McIntosh also registered 21 points after making 5-of-8 shots from three-point range including the game-winner. Elijah Mattingly set a new best as a Cardinal with 15 points (all in the first half) and was three rebounds short of a double-double. Toodles Seal scored 12 and had two steals, while Bryson Huckeby compiled 10 points and eight rebounds in the win.
The teams traded three-point jumpers to begin the game. Mattingly hit a three following McIntosh to give SVSU its first lead at 6-4 at the 17:33 mark.
McIntosh and Seal hit two more from deep to complete a 6-0 run that moved the Cardinals a 12-7 lead in the opening five minutes of play.
The Greyhounds would later tie the game at 20 and wouldn't pull away until a 5-0 run late in the half gave UIndy its largest lead at 32-25.
Anderson responded with a three that ignited a 6-0 run and trimmed the deficit to a single point with 5:52 left in the half.
Mattingly drilled another shot from distance and recaptured a slim advantage (36-35) for the home team with just under five minutes left before the half. Mattingly would come up big again with 75 seconds left in the half, making the final bucket that gave the Cardinals a 40-39 edge as the teams entered the locker rooms at the break.
The second half was a tight contest with neither team finding a way to pull away from the other. Huckeby made a three-point shot on a fast break opportunity with 8:33 left in the game that started a 5-0 run and the Cardinals led by four points (69-65) with 7:41 left in regulation.
Seal hit a three sandwiched by Richmond Mawutor's two free throws to give SVSU its largest game lead of 76-70 with 3:12 on the clock.
UIndy rallied to knot the score at 76 before taking a two-point lead off a turnover by the Cardinals. McIntosh bounced back with a three to go up 79-78 on a second-chance play.
The lead changed hands again with the Greyhounds moving to an 83-79 advantage with 19 seconds left before the final buzzer.
McIntosh was fouled and made both free throw attempts to cut the lead to one point and Saginaw Valley would be forced to foul to preserve the clock. UIndy missed the first free throw on the one-and-one and Huckeby scooped the rebound before passing to McIntosh who sent up the deep buzzer beater and drained it for the win.
UP NEXT: The Cardinal men's basketball team will have some time off before making the short road trip to face rival Northwood on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (Nov. 26) at 6:00 p.m. (ET).
