UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team fell to Northern Michigan University tonight (Jan. 12), 46-35. The Cardinals drop to 3-11 overall and 1-6 in the conference with the loss, while the Wildcats improve to 7-7 on the season and 3-4 in the GLIAC.
Meijer "Player of the Game" Grace Herzog (Linden, Mich./Powers Catholic HS) finished the contest with a superb overall effort as she recorded eight points, seven rebounds, six blocks and five assists for the Cardinals.
SVSU trailed for much of the first half before Kayla Womack (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./North HS) dribbled past a defender and took it to the hole for two to take a 16-15 advantage with 5:05 remaining in the half.
Morgan Hughes (Pinckney, Mich.) came off the bench to increase the Saginaw Valley lead to 22-17 at the 1:22 mark of the first half as she scored on two consecutive possessions. Hughes finished the night with six points, eight rebounds and four assists.
The Cardinals fired 42.9 percent from the field and would enter the intermission with a 22-19 edge.
Northern Michigan started off hot in the second half and jumped out with a 15-0 run to lead 34-22 at the 12:48 mark.
SVSU would get their first points of the half from Womack as she knocked down a jumper to bring the Cardinals within ten, 34-24, with less than ten minutes to go. She would finish the contest with seven points and five rebounds.
Kristen Greene (Brown City, Mich.) cut the Wildcat lead to eight, 34-26, when she knocked down a jump shot with 7:54 left in regulation.
After the Wildcats extended their lead to 14, Aysha Boston (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) hit two three pointers on back-to-back possessions to make the score 43-35 with two minutes to play. Boston dropped in eight points in the contest going 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
However, the Cardinals were unable to come any closer as Northern Michigan came away with the victory, 46-35.
Saginaw Valley returns to action this Saturday (Jan. 14) at home against #19 Michigan Tech at 1:00 PM.