MARQUETTE, Mich. -- The Northern Michigan University men's basketball team came just short Tuesday night as they faced rival Michigan Technological University at home, falling in a tight battle, 61-52. 

The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead, going up 12-4 five minutes into the contest Tuesday night. MTU would follow it up with an 11-2 run of their own to overtake the lead just over 10 minutes into the game but the Wildcats quickly bounced back, posting a 7-0 run of their own.

An errant pass by MTU with five ticks on the scoreboard gave the Wildcats the ball back. Noah Parcher who got the steal rushed it up the court attempting a shot with 0.1 second left on the clock. He was fouled on the shot and was sent to the line for two, giving the Wildcats the 29-26 lead at the half.

The two teams battled hard in the opening minutes of the second half, with the Huskies ultimately taking the lead, 35-32. Parcher knotted things up at 35-all before MTU would pull ahead again with a 6-0 run.

Tre Harvey hit a deep three to pull the Wildcats within one before Carson Smith drew up a shooting foul to give his team the 44-43 lead. A big stop in the NMU zone gave the Wildcats the ball back with Dolapo Olayinka stripping the Husky guard of the ball and sinking a three-point shot of his own, 47-43.

After the Huskies pulled ahead with a made jump shot for three, Alec Fruin was fouled and tied things up again at 51-51. 

The Wildcats would tally just one more point in the final few minutes of game time as the Huskies took the 61-52 final.

NMU's men's team returns to the Physical Education Instructional Facility at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30 for their first of a two-game series with Lake Superior State. Game two is set for a Sunday start at the same time.