Keenan erupts for 28 points in 80-61 win
The Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team fell to the Ferris State University Bulldogs in the opening round of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (BIG RAPIDS -- GLIAC) Tournament by a score of 80-61.
SVSU grabbed a quick 3-2 lead in the contest and would hold that advantage until the Bulldogs knotted the contest at 23 points-apiece at the 7:57 mark in the first half. Ferris State would build a 12-point lead before closing the half with an 11-point advantage, 43-32.
Ferris shot 53.1% from the floor in the opening half compared to SVSU's 40.0%. The Bulldogs also held a 16-10 advantage in the paint and outscored the Cardinals 10-0 on fast-break points.
The Bulldogs maintained control throughout the second half as well, building a lead by as many as 30 points with 5:12 left in the contest. The Cardinals would close the gap a bit, but would fall short in the end, falling by 19 points with a final score of 80-61.
Seniors Keithan Jackson (Grand Rapids, Mich./Godwin Heights HS) and Dan Genther (Laingsburg, Mich.) were honored as co-Meijer "Players of the Game" for their efforts in the final contests of their careers. Jackson posted a double-double, netting 13 points and 10 rebounds while Genther posted a team-high 14 points. Junior Greg Foster (Indianapolis, Ind./TC Howe HS) added seven points and five rebounds in the contest.
The loss ends the 2010-11 season for SVSU with a final record of 13-14 overall after posting a 9-10 GLIAC record in the regular season. Ferris State moves on as the tournament's #1 seed with a 21-6 overall record after securing the top seed in the tournament with a 16-3 league mark.
