Huskies Fall at Saginaw Valley State on Saturday

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Austin Armga scored a game-high 31 points, but missed a chance for the win and then for the tie, as the Michigan Tech men's basketball team fell 71-69 to Saginaw Valley State on Saturday (Jan. 25) from James E. O'Neill Arena. The Huskies are now 12-4 overall and 8-4 in the GLIAC.

A Garrett Hall 3-pointer—with the shot clock winding down—gave SVSU a five-point (69-64) lead with 1:40 left. After Tech missed a 3-pointer on the other end, Jordan Chartier fought for the rebound and scored to cut the margin to three.

The Huskies then fouled Wade Gelhaus who missed the front end of a one-and-one situation, giving Tech a chance to tie it up.

Alex Culy quickly advanced the ball to Ben Stelzer who buried a three, tying it up at 69.

Damon Bozeman made a1-of-2 at the free throw line to give the home team its lead back. Tech coach Kevin Luke drew up a play in the timeout and Armga went one-on-one with his defender and rose up over him, but the jumper rattled out.

SVSU made only 1-of-2 at the line again and the Huskies had a chance with six seconds to go. Armga dribbled the full length of the court but missed a floater from the right side as the buzzer sounded. 

"They played well today," Tech coach Kevin Luke said. "We made enough plays to tie it up late but couldn't get the final couple of shots to go."

Tech scored nine straight points midway through the second half to knot it up at 49. Garrett Hall nailed a 3-pointer followed by back-to-back jumpers by Armga and the Huskies took their first lead since 13:06 remaining in the first half.

The lead changed five times before the Bozeman three.

Armga shot 10-for-17 from the field and added eight rebounds and two assists in 38 minutes of play. Stelzer was also in double figures for the Huskies with 17 points. Chartier and Jason Hawke combined for 10.

Tech shot 44 percent (23-for-49) from the field and 7-for-22 (31.8 percent) from three.

As a team, SVSU shot 52.2 percent from the floor. Garrett Hall (19), Bozeman (17) and CJ Turnage (13) scored in double figures for the Cardinals.

The Huskies host Northwood and Lake Superior State next weekend at the SDC Gym.