January 19, 2003

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. â€Ã‚“ The NMU menâ€Ã‚™s basketballteam down by one at the half (28-27) used some hot shooting in the second halfto defeat Saginaw Valley on Saturday afternoon by a score of 64-60.  The win improves the â€Ã‚˜Cats record to 10-6overall and 6-2 in the GLIAC.  TheCardinals fall to 8-9 and 2-6.

After the first 20 minutes of play both NMU and SVSU wereshooting 35.7 percent from the floor on 10-28. At the beginning of the second half the Cardinals built an 11-point leadat 46-35 with 13:18 left in the game. With 11:30 left in the game the Cardinals were still up by 11 at 48-37on the strength of a 20-10 run.  Butfrom that point on the â€Ã‚˜Cats would control the game.  NMU used an eight to zero run to tie the game at 48 all with 8:36left in the contest. Ã‚  SVSU would tiethe game up twice more, but Adrian Whitten hit a three-pointer with 2:21 leftto give the â€Ã‚˜Cats the lead for good at 60-57. With less than 25 seconds left in the game Antwuan Holt hit two freethrows and Steve Watts made one to seal the win for the â€Ã‚˜Cats.

Marco Volcy led the â€Ã‚˜Cast with 23 points and fourrebounds.  Billy Hill added 12 pointsand nine boards in the win.  AnthonyParker led the Cardinals with 17 points.

For the game the â€Ã‚˜Cats shot 40.7 percent from the floor(22-54) while the Cardinals were shooting 37.1 percent (23-62).  SVSU made three of 10 three-pointers (28.6percent) as the â€Ã‚˜Cats made four of 10 threeâ€Ã‚™s (27.3 percent).  From the charity stripe the â€Ã‚˜Cats were 14-23(60.9 percent) and the Cardinals were 10-13 (76.9 percent).  SVSU did out rebound NMU 42 to 36rebounds.  The Cardinals had 10offensive rebounds to the â€Ã‚˜Cats five.

NMU will be back in action on Thursday, Jan. 23 againstNorthwood at the Berry Events Center.