The Basics
Score: #2 Saginaw Valley 63, #7 Northwood 40 - GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinals
Records: SVSU (21-7) | NU (17-12)
Location: James E. O'Neill Jr. Arena - University Center, Mich.
UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team entered the 2016 GLIAC Tournament as the no. 2 overall seed and hosted the no. 7 seed Northwood University Tuesday (Mar. 1) evening in the opening quarterfinal round. The Lady Cardinals got a season-high 31 points and eight rebounds from Emily Wendling and turned up the defense in posting a 63-40 wire-to-wire victory over the Timberwolves to secure a spot in the semifinals for SV.
Halee Nieman opened the game's scoring early, giving the Cardinals their first lead eight seconds in with a layup. After a brief tie from NU at 2-2, the only one of the game, Nieman followed up with two more layups, extending SV's lead to four (6-2) at the 8:35 mark. Wendling score three consecutive layups of her own, taking the lead to the period high of five, 12-7 with 4:32 left in the quarter.
The Timberwolves came within two points of Saginaw Valley before Grace Whelan made a free throw and layup, putting the lead back up to five (16-11). Katelyn Carriere notched a basket with 33 seconds left on the clock, closing the opening quarter with the Cards ahead, 18-13.
Saginaw Valley had a strong second period, extending their lead to 12 at the 4:59 mark and shutting Northwood out until the 3:55 mark. Wendling posted three consecutive baskets and a free throw to extend SV's lead to a first half high of 15 with 1:34 left in the quarter (32-17).
Northwood cut into the lead twice before Anna Hall connected on a free throw with nine seconds left on the clock and the home team entered the locker room leading by 13, 34-21.
In the third period, Delaney Kenny cut the Cardinals' lead to nine (34-25) after posting two layups; the second coming with 6:17 left in the third.
Wendling, Hall and Whelan drove the lead back up to 15, scoring six unanswered points all together by the 4:05 mark. Saginaw Valley kept its momentum with Nieman, Alex Green and Wendling driving the lead to 23 before the quarter ended (51-28). Nieman sank two free throws with 3:27 on the clock, followed by a basket from Wendling and a three-pointer from Green. Wendling added two more layups before the quarter ended with the Cardinals ahead by that 23-point margin.
SV continued to drive up their lead in the fourth period, with Wendling scoring three unanswered baskets to extend the lead to 29 (57-28) with 7:08 showing on the clock. Hall took the lead to the game-high of 33 (63-30) after adding two free throws at the 5:52 marker. Hall's points from the charity stripe were the last from SV in the game.
Northwood scored the last 10 points of the game but with the deficit already out of reach, SVSU sealed a 23-point victory on its home court, 63-40.
Inside the Boxscore
- Wendling led the Cardinals and matched her season-high with 31 points, shooting 15-of-20 from the floor. She also added eight rebounds and a block in the game as well.
- Nieman, Hall and Whelan each posted eight points. Hall added a game and career-high with nine rebounds, adding two assits and two steals. Nieman contributed six rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block. Whelan added two rebounds to go along with her eight.
- Danielle Carriere grabbed seven boards, adding three steals, two assists and three points.
- Saginaw Valley shot 45.5% (25-of-55) compared to Northwood's 24.2% (15-of-62). The Cardinal defense allowed just scores of 13-8-7-12 in the four quarters.
- The 40 points allowed was the second-lowest of the season, just above the 39 the Cards allowed at Lake Superior State earlier this season.
- The Cardinals out-rebounded the Timberwolves 49-34 and scored 44 points in the paint compared to Northwood's 20.
- The 21 victories for SVSU marks the most for the program since the 1987-88 campaign (25).
- SVSU will be participating in the GLIAC Tournament Semifinals for the first time since the 1996-97 season, when the Cards finished in third place that year. That was the last year Saginaw Valley had a victory in the tournament before Tuesday night's victory as well. It's just the team's third-ever appearence in the league tournament's semifinals.
Meijer "Player of the Game"
Wendling earned Meijer "Player of the Game" honors after matching her season-high with 31 points, adding eight boards and a blocked shot to her credit.
From Head Coach Jamie Pewinski...
From Junior Forward Emily Wendling...
Up Next for Saginaw Valley
Saginaw Valley will square-off against the Grand Valley State University Lakers in the GLIAC Tournament Semifinals, which will be hosted by top-seeded Ashland University. Tip-off time for Saturday's (Mar. 5) game is yet to be determined and will be finalized Wednesday. SVSU defeated the Lakers in both of the meetings for the 2015-16 season, winning a 68-65 matchup on Jan. 28 before clamiing a 75-71 decision in Allendale on Feb. 18.
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