Skip To Main Content

Northern Michigan University

The Official Website of the Northern Michigan Wildcats Northern Michigan Wildcats

Men's Basketball

Wildcats Open GLIAC Action with 82-71 Victory Over Northwood

Box Score

MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University Men's Basketball Team opened their Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season by defeating Northwood University 82-71.

Junior Naba Echols (Memphis, Tenn./Mitchell) led the way with 23 points.  Junior Isaiah Johnson (Whitefish Bay, Wisc.) added 22 points and a team-best eight rebounds.  Freshman Dolapo Olayinka (Chicago, Ill./Mather) scored a career-high 12 points. 

After a free throw to start the game by the Timberwolves, NMU scored six-straight points, as Johnson made a free throw, which sophomore Sam Taylor (Chicago, Ill./Thornton) followed with a three-pointer.  Echols then scored his first points of the game with a layup to put the Wildcats ahead 6-1 less than two minutes into the game.

Northwood pulled within 12-10 at the first media timeout.  Out of the break, NMU went on a 9-2 run.  Olayinka hit two free throws, then senior Eddie Tornes (Muskegon, Mich./Cumberland C.C.) scored five-straight points. After a Timberwolves jumper, an Olayinka layup put the Wildcats ahead 21-12.  The visitors brought the lead down to 21-16, but a jumper by Tayler, a three-pointer by senior Jordan Perez (Greendale, Wis.) and another layup and free throw by Olayinka gave NMU a 29-21 lead with 9:35 to go in the first.

After Echols gave NMU a 10-point, 31-21 lead, Northwood shrank it to 31-25. The Wildcats answered with an 11-3 run and pushed out to a 42-28 lead for the largest lead of the first half with 5:33 to go in the first. Echols started the rally with a jumper.  Junior Max Prendergast (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids West Catholic) and Taylor followed with a layup each. Echols then added another layup, and a three-point play by Johnson gave NMU the large lead. 

The Timberwolves chipped away at the lead throughout the remainder of the half and NMU took a 46-40 lead into halftime. 

To start the half, Echols and Johnson scored six points but Northwood answered and it was 52-46 with 17:14 to go in the game.  Taylor then hit a layup, followed by another three-point play by Olayinka.  Layups by Olayinka and Johnson pushed NMU out to a 61-46 advantage with 13 minutes remaining. 

Northwood responded and narrowed the gap to just five points, 64-59 with 8:36 on the clock. A layup and an old-fashioned three-pointer by Echols, two layups by Johnson and two free throws by Perez answered five NU points, leading to a 76-64 lead at the final media timeout.  Over the final 3:41, Johnson hit a layup and Echols made two more free throws to give NMU the 82-71 final score. 

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 4-3, 1-0 in the GLIAC while Northwood falls to 2-4, 0-1 in the league.  NMU returns to action Saturday at 11 a.m. and will take on GLIAC foe Saginaw Valley State University on Gene Summers Appreciation Day. 

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Naba Echols

#1 Naba Echols

G
5' 11"
Junior
Isaiah Johnson

#13 Isaiah Johnson

G/F
6' 5"
Junior
Dolapo Olayinka

#21 Dolapo Olayinka

F
6' 5"
Freshman
Jordan Perez

#5 Jordan Perez

G
6' 3"
Senior
Max Prendergast

#52 Max Prendergast

C
6' 9"
Junior
Sam Taylor

#3 Sam Taylor

G
5' 10"
Sophomore
Eddie Tornes

#12 Eddie Tornes

G
6' 3"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Naba Echols

#1 Naba Echols

5' 11"
Junior
G
Isaiah Johnson

#13 Isaiah Johnson

6' 5"
Junior
G/F
Dolapo Olayinka

#21 Dolapo Olayinka

6' 5"
Freshman
F
Jordan Perez

#5 Jordan Perez

6' 3"
Senior
G
Max Prendergast

#52 Max Prendergast

6' 9"
Junior
C
Sam Taylor

#3 Sam Taylor

5' 10"
Sophomore
G
Eddie Tornes

#12 Eddie Tornes

6' 3"
Senior
G