The Basics
Score: Saginaw Valley 60 , Lake Superior 51
Records: SVSU (20-5, 16-3 GLIAC) | LSSU (5-21, 3-16 GLIAC)
Location: Cooper Gymnasium - Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The SVSU women's basketball team has clinched a share of the 2016-17 GLIAC North Division Championship after posting a 60-51 road victory at Lake Superior State University on Thursday (Feb. 16) evening.
It marks the second straight divisional title for the Cardinals, who shared the GLIAC North title in 2015-16 with a 17-5 league mark. The victory over the Lakers gives SVSU its second straight 20-win season as well, which is the first time since the 1986-87 and 87-88 campaigns.
Saginaw Valley took an early 4-0 lead after four straight points from Emily Wendling. The first quarter lead would reach as many as seven points at 13-6 with 1:32 on the clock after consecutive jumpers from Abby Duffy followed a Grace Whelan free throw. The visitors would carry a 13-10 edge into the second quarter.
The Cardinal lead reached double-digits for the first time after Wendling made good on a three-point play and another jumper to make the score 25-14 with 4:10 showing on the clock. Buckets from Hannah Settingsgaard and another from Wendling made the advantage a first half high of 15 (29-14) with just 2:52 remaining in the half. The Lakers trimmed the deficit to 29-19, but two free throws from Halee Nieman with 11 ticks left in the first half put the halftime score at 31-19.
A double-digit lead would remain for the visitors until the 2:58 point in the third when Lake Superior got a triple to make the score 42-33. SV responded, however, and closed out the frame with a pair of foul shots from Wendling and a layup by Duffy, taking the game into the fourth with a 48-35 Cardinal lead.
Saginaw Valley led by a game-high total of 17 points with 6:59 to play after Nieman connected on a pair of free throws to make the score 54-37. LSSU drew to within eight points (54-46) with just 2:44 to play in the contest, but a Wendling layup pushed the lead to 11 points two more times, the second coming with the score 60-49 at the 1:07 marker. A layup from the Lakers with 13 seconds remaining put the score at 60-51, proving to be the final count for the evening.
Inside the Boxscore
- Wendling had another stellar game for the Cards, posting a game-high 23 points and a team-best six rebounds, one block and a steal. She earned Meijer "Player of the Game" honors for her performance.
- Duffy reached double figures in the contest as well, notching 10 points with four boards. She added two steals and was 5-of-7 shooting in the contest.
- Nieman added eight points with a team-high six rebounds, adding two steals and a pair of assists.
- Anna Hall and Katelyn Carriere each netted six points for SV, with Hall adding four boards and a trio of assists while Carriere had two rebounds and three assists.
- SVSU shot 41.5% (22-53) in the contest while the Lakers were 40.4% (19-47) from the floor.
- The Cardinals posted a 30-22 edge in points in the paint and 14-2 advantage in points off turnovers.
- LSSU's bench outscored SVSU's by a 21-13 margin.
- Saginaw Valley had a season-low six turnovers in the matchup as well while forcing 18 Laker turnovers.
From Head Coach Jamie Pewinski
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Up Next...
Saginaw Valley hosts Northwood University on Saturday (Feb. 18) in the team's regular season home finale. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. at O'Neill Arena. The Cardinals are 11-0 on their home floor this season. The teams met last on January 28, with SV coming away with a 72-54 road victory in Midland. The Timberwolves are coming off a 66-61 home victory over Wayne State on Thursday evening.
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