UNIVERSITY CENTER – Ashland University fell from the ranks of the unbeaten Saturday in O'Neill Arena as Saginaw Valley State University knocked off the 19th-ranked Eagles 101-92.
     The Cardinals had six players score in double figures as they won their second straight to go from winless to right back in the GLIAC North Division playoff race.
     SVSU dominated the backboards with a 41-32 edge, forced six more turnovers (20-14) and had a big edge at the free throw line. The Cards hit 26 of 33 from the stripe, while the Eagles hit 17-20.
     Sophomore Terrance Wright (Saginaw/Buena Vista) led SVSU with 22 points, including 16 in the second half. Junior guard Vernon Malone (Kankakee, IL) chipped in 21 points and six rebounds off the bench. Senior Rashard Carson (Toledo, OH/Rogers) scored 19 points, senior Greg Mallek (Merrill) scored 14 points and had four blocked shots, junior Sean Stewart (Tyler, TX/John Tyler) scored 11 points and had a team-high eight rebounds, while senior Jeff Harris (South Bend, IN/St. Joesph's) scored 10.
     Ashland controlled the early portion of the game, building a 10-point lead, 30-20 with 7:20 left in the first half.
     But after Coach Dean Lockwood called time out and his squad responded with a 13-4 scoring run to get back in the game and trailed by only 42-39 at halftime.
     Midway through the second half, a 15-4 run by SVSU produced a 73-62 lead with 9:42 left in the game.
     With a penchant for squandering double-digit leads, the Cardinals never let the Eagles get closer than five points the rest of the game, and that was with 11 seconds left.
     SVSU has now won two straight and five of its last six to improve to 7-6 overall and 2-5 in the GLIAC North Division. Ashland saw its six-game win streak halted and dropped to 12-3 overall and 6-1 in the South Division.
     Saginaw Valley travels to Northwood University Monday night for a 7:30 p.m. clash with its local rival.

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