University Center, Mich. – A jumper by Mike Wells Jr. with two seconds left in the game sunk the Purdue Northwest men's basketball team in a tough 73-71 road loss to Saginaw Valley State University (Mich.) in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action Thursday night at O'Neill Arena in University Center, Mich.  Freshman Richard Robertson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop) led four Pride players in double figures finishing with 17 points in the hard-fought battle.     

Senior Tyree Coe (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) Junior Chris Nunn (Anderson, Ind./Liberty Christian) had 16 points for PNW, while senior Torrance Johnson (Chicago Heights, Ill./Chicago Hope Academy) posted 15 points and eight rebounds.  Sophomore Lukas Vilkovsky (Kosice, Slovakia/Get Better Academy) also played well for the Pride recording 13 points and game-leading 12 rebounds.  As a team, Purdue Northwest shot 49 percent (24-for-49) from the field. 

The Pride got off to a great start with a three by Robertson giving the visitors an early 7-2 lead.  A lay-up by Johnson a few minutes later pushed the advantage to eight points at 14-6.  The Cardinals fought back and took their first lead of the game, 20-19, on a three-pointer by Malik Garner with 7:25 left to play in the first half.  However, a lay-up on the next possession by Coe sparked a 7-0 run for PNW to build a 26-20 edge.  A lay-up by Johnson with 3:11 remaining in the half put the Pride up eight, 33-25, but SVSU went on a tear to end the period outscoring PNW 12-1 to take a 37-34 halftime lead.

A three-pointer by Coe to open the second half tied the game at 37-37.  The two teams traded leads over the next couple of minutes before a lay-up by Richardson sparked an 8-0 run for Purdue Northwest.  Leading 49-42 with 13:40 remaining, PNW continued to hold a lead over the game's next nine minutes, but SVSU drew to within two points multiple times.  The Cardinals took a 68-67 lead with 2:18 remaining on a three-pointer by DJ Hoskins, but four straight free throws from Johnson and Richardson put PNW back in front, 71-68, with 1:16 left.  However in the final minute, SVSU hit a three-pointer to tie the game, which helped set up the late-game heroics by Wells Jr.     

Purdue Northwest (0-14 overall/0-6 GLIAC) continues conference play on Saturday, January 6, hosting Northwood University (Mich.).  The GLIAC match-up is scheduled for a 3 p.m. CT start at H.D. Kesling Gymnasium at the James B. Dworkin Student Services & Activities Complex in Westville, Ind.