UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University men's basketball team couldn't keep pace against No. 16 Northern Michigan in an 83-61 loss in Marquette on Thursday night. The Cardinals (11-10, 5-8 GLIAC) battled back to within 14 points late in the second half, but the Wildcats (20-3, 11-2 GLIAC) pulled away down the stretch.

Kevonne Taylor (Detroit, Mich. / Chandler Park HS) scored a season-high 14 points, had two blocks, and four rebounds to lead SVSU in a losing effort. It is the third-straight double-digit scoring game for the junior forward.

The game stayed close in the first seven minutes, with neither team pulling away.

Aidan Duran (Spring, Texas / Victory Rock Prep) made a layup that cut the lead to 13-12 with 13:59 on the clock. The Wildcats responded with an 11-2 run that ended with a layup at 8:02, giving the game its first double-digit lead, 24-14.

The Cardinals couldn't keep up as the Wildcats extended the margin to 15 (39-24) with just over 90 seconds left. SVSU shot 44% and made five threes despite a 41-29 halftime deficit.

Jack Stefanski (Frankfort, Mich.) didn't miss a shot from the floor to lead Saginaw Valley State with six points in the first half. Xavier Thomas (Detroit, Mich. / Brother Rice HS) also scored six and added two assists through 20 minutes.

The gap widened to 22 points in the opening four minutes of the second half as Northern Michigan used a 12-2 run in the opening 3:44 of play in the frame to put the advantage to 53-31.

Saginaw Valley State continued to battle and moved closer to NMU with a 7-0 run that put the margin at 14 points, 71-57, with just under four minutes left to play in regulation, but the Wildcats pulled away down the stretch to earn the win.

Thomas finished with 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting off the bench for the Cardinals. Javontae Ross (Flint, Mich. / Flint Powers HS) tallied seven points in his career-most, 22 minutes of play. Stefanski finished with a team-high five rebounds, while Triston Nichols (Shelby Twp., Mich. / De La Salle HS), Dontez Scott II (Romulus, Mich. / Summit Academy North), and Thomas tied for a team-best four assists.

UP NEXT: The Cardinals will remain in the U.P. for a showdown against No. 17 Michigan Tech on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. (ET).