Purdue Northwest men’s basketball holds off Saginaw Valley State

The basics

• Records: Purdue Northwest (14-12, 10-9 GLIAC), Saginaw Valley State (13-14, 7-12 GLIAC)
• Location: PNW Fitness & Recreation Center – Hammond, Indiana
• Attendance: 400

Inside the numbers

• Purdue Northwest shot 23-of-52 (44.2%) from the field, 10-of-22 (45.5%) from three-point range, and 20-of-23 (87.0%) at the free-throw line.
• Saginaw Valley State finished 26-of-59 (44.1%) overall, 4-of-20 (20.0%) from beyond the arc, and 11-of-16 (68.8%) at the stripe.
• The Pride held a 36-29 rebounding advantage, including 13 offensive rebounds.
• Purdue Northwest scored 19 points off turnovers and 20 second-chance points.
• The Cardinals recorded 36 points in the paint and received 16 points from their bench.
• Freshman Garrett Clark (Portage, Ind./Portage) led Purdue Northwest with 22 points, knocking down four three-pointers and going a perfect 8-of-8 at the free-throw line.
• Senior Kyle Ross (Saint John, Ind./Lake Central) added 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
• Junior Ahlante Askew (Republic, Mo./Republic) and sophomore Aaiden Ashton (Mount Pleasant, Iowa/Mount Pleasant) each contributed 10 points, with Ashton shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the field.
• Kevonne Taylor paced Saginaw Valley State with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Dontez Scott II added 15 points.

The breakdown

• Purdue Northwest set the tone early, connecting on five three-pointers in the first half and shooting over 62 percent from beyond the arc before the break. The Pride also capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 11-of-12 attempts to take a 38-27 lead into halftime.
• Saginaw Valley State responded in the second half, shooting 53.8 percent from the floor and trimming the deficit to single digits midway through the period. The Cardinals found success inside and on the glass, but Purdue Northwest answered each push with timely perimeter shooting and steady free-throw shooting.
• Down the stretch, the Pride maintained composure at the line and controlled key possessions to keep the Cardinals from completing the comeback. Strong rebounding and defensive stops in the final minutes helped secure the 76-67 conference win.

Up next

• Purdue Northwest wraps up the regular season Saturday, February 28, when it hosts Lake Superior State. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT at the Fitness and Recreation Center in Hammond, Indiana. PNW Athletics will also celebrate the men's basketball seniors prior to the start of the game.