UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team suffered a 78-73 defeat against Michigan Tech inside O'Neill Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (9-13, 5-9 GLIAC) fought in a tightly contested battle with the Huskies (16-6, 11-3 GLIAC), but foul trouble and free throws doomed SVSU in the losing effort.
"I am happy with our preparation and happy with our guys getting on the floor and competing today," said head coach Randy Baruth. "This will just keep hardening us and make us better and will prepare us as we roll through February."
Meijer Player of the Game Freddie McIntosh matched his career-high in points with 31 on 11-of-21 shooting. It is the first time this season he has scored 30+ points. The senior guard made five of the team's seven three-point jumpers on the afternoon. Toodles Seal scored 25 points along with hauling in six rebounds for the Saginaw Valley. Seal reached 20+ points for the sixth time this season. Bryson Huckeby led the Cardinals in rebounds with eight and assists with three.
There were 16 lead changes and nine ties in the contest including two in the opening two minutes of play. Seal made a jumper just outside the paint to tie the score at five at the 18:16 mark of the first half before an 8-0 run by Michigan Tech flipped the advantage with just over 15 minutes left before half.
A 5-0 run sparked Seal to cut the margin by three points before McIntosh hit a free throw to tie the game at 19 with 8:47 on the clock. The Huskies pushed ahead for a five-point lead before Maurice Anderson hit two driving layups coming out of the media timeout to cut the lead to two points. Nico Newsome then made a three-point jumper at 4:35 to put the Cardinals up 28-27.
Michigan Tech grabbed a slim, two-point lead but SVSU would tie it with free throws from McIntosh before Seal hit a jumper to take a 32-30 lead with 80 ticks on the clock. Michigan Tech made the final bucket in the final minute of the half to tie the score at the break.
McIntosh made 13 of his 31 points in the first half on 4-of-9 shooting and perfect 3-of-3 from the free-throw line. The Cardinals outshot the Huskies with 46.2% shooting from the floor, but Michigan Tech totaled 12 free-throw attempts to SVSU's five.
The second half went much the same as the first, with neither team able to pull away past two possessions. Seal gave the Cardinals their largest lead with a pair of free throws at 13:40 of the second to put the score at 45-42.
The Huskies quickly recaptured the lead for their three-point advantage. The teams traded leads and tied the score back and forth until Michigan Tech built a nine-point lead (71-62) on free throws with 1:35 left in regulation.
McIntosh responded with a three-pointer to cut it to four, but two more free throws by MTU increased the lead to six points. Another three from McIntosh on the next Cardinal possession cut the lead in half (73-70) with 30 seconds left in the game.
Seal made a three-point jumper with 16 seconds remaining to get Saginaw Valley State within two points of catching the Huskies, but a made free throw and a turnover by SVSU was enough to end the game.
Saginaw Valley State shot 47.4% from the floor, compared to Michigan Tech's 36.5%. However, the Huskies attempted 38 free throws, compared to SVSU's 15, which was the difference in the game's outcome.
UP NEXT: The Cardinals will remain at home to face GLIAC opponent Wayne State on Thursday, February 13, with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off time.
