What started as a tight game turned into a rout due to a rough second half performance by the Cougars. After trailing by just two at halftime, CCU was outscored by 25 by Saginaw Valley State in the second half on the way to 74-47 loss.
 
Forwards Kate Louthan and Claire Paxton led CCU in scoring with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Junior point guard Taylor Torres, meanwhile, chipped in with nine, accounting for all three of CCU's makes from downtown. It was a struggle offensively, however.
 
While Christian shot a respectable 44% from the field in the first 20 minutes, that number dipped to 26% in the final period that saw the Cougars score just 18 points. Senior Kayla Fakelman's effectiveness was neutralized by foul trouble in her 21 minutes of action.
 
The Cardinals began to separate with their dominance in the paint and on the boards. Saginaw Valley corralled 43 rebounds to the Cougars' 20, and outscored CCU 38-20 in the paint. The Cardinals' aggressiveness down low also meant trips to the charity stripe, making 22-27 from the free throw line.
 
After a pair of tough losses, Christian will try to rebound quickly and grab their first victory of the season tomorrow afternoon. Playing their third game in as many days, CCU will take on the hosts University of Alaska Fairbanks at 4 PM.