MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan men's basketball team will begin a stretch of eight straight games at home. The first game of the extended homestand will start on Tuesday, November 21, against Hillsdale at 7 p.m. in the PEIF Gym. 

The Wildcats will also host Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday, November 25, and Minnesota Duluth on Sunday, November 26. Both games will tip-off at 1 p.m.

Northern will play four non-conference games, a pair of GLIAC contests, followed by two more non-conference games over Christmas break before they finally hit the road again after 2024 arrives on January 4th with a trip to Davenport.  


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Tuesday, November 21 - vs. Hillsdale at 7 p.m. (PEIF Gym)
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Saturday, November 25 - vs. Minnesota State Moorhead at 1 p.m. (PEIF Gym)
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Sunday, November 26 - vs. Minnesota Duluth at 1 p.m. (PEIF Gym)
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Last Week
The Wildcats split last week, first defeating Lakeland 98-71 in the home opener before falling at Concordia-St. Paul 108-101 on Saturday. 

The Wildcats were without Dylan Kuehl and Brian Parzych against the Muskies, but Sam Schultz posted 18 points and nine rebounds while Casey Verhagen also had 18 points to lead the way. 

With Kuehl and Parzych back at the Golden Bears, the two combined for 46 points, while Schultz added a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double in a shootout defeat. The Wildcats were down by 26 points in the second half and stormed all the way back to a one-possession game late, but were unable to complete the comeback. 


Cat Nips

• Northern is averaging 89.7 ppg while allowing 84.5 ppg. The near 90 points per game is the second most in the GLIAC and 32nd in the country. NMU is shooting 47.7% from the floor and 33.8% from downtown. The 'Cats are also averaging eight more rebounds a contest than their opponents, a top-30 mark in the country. NMU is only allowing offensive 6.2 rpg, the fewest among conference teams. 
• Sam Schultz was named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week on November 20. He leads the GLIAC at 10.8 rebounds/game, which is good for 19th in the country. He has three double-doubles in six games, while falling one rebound short in two games, and one rebound and two points shy in the other. His 4.3 offensive rebounds/game is tied for 12th across Division II. 
• The Green and Gold offense is led by Dylan Kuehl (16.2), Brian Parzych (14.3), Max Weisbrod (14.2), Carson Smith (13.3), and Sam Schultz (12.5). 
• Dylan Kuehl is second in the GLIAC in FT percentage (88.5% - 23/26) among those that have attempted 15+ free throws.
• Kuehl, who made the All-GLIAC First Team and All-Defensive Team as a redshirt freshman, was named to the GLIAC Preseason First Team. Reigning GLIAC Freshman of the Year Max Weisbrod received Preseason Second Team honors after earning those same honors to end 2022-23.
• The Wildcats are 67-48 (.598) under 5th year head coach Matt Majkrzak. 

Notes on Hillsdale
The Wildcats and the Chargers split the season series last season, with NMU best Hillsdale 86-81 in the NCAA Tournament. The Chargers are an unblemished 3-0 this season, with two wins over GLIAC schools (Wayne State, 71-65, and Saginaw Valley State, 90-75). 

Hillsdale is averaging 80.3 ppg while shooting 48.4% from the floor and 27.5% from three. It's been a two-headed attack on offense so far this season for the Chargers, as Charles Woodhams (19.7 ppg) and Joe Reuter (18.3 ppg). 

The Chargers have been disruptive on defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 23.9% from three, the 17th best mark in Division II. They are also 15th in the country with a 1.68 assist/turnover ratio. 


Notes on Minnesota State Moorhead
The Dragons enter with a perfect 4-0 record, coming off of a 86-72 victory over No. Black Hills State on Saturday. MSUM is scoring at a clip of 83.3 per game while allowing 74.3. They shoot 44.4% from the floor and 35.0% from deep. 

Jacob Beeninga is averaging 22.5 ppg, tied for 28th in the country. Dane Zimmer (14.0), Jamir Price (12.8) and Ja'Kair Sanchez (11.3) are also in double figures. Zimmer leads the team on the glass with 9.5 rpg. 

NMU last played the Dragons in 2017, a 84-69 defeat. The Wildcats are 0-2 all-time against MSUM. 


Notes on Minnesota Duluth
The Bulldogs enter the week at 3-1. Last season, Northern defeated the Bulldogs in Duluth 90-76. Brian Parzych and Max Weisbrod combined for 45 points, shooting 13-21 from the floor. 

Last weekend, Duluth posted a 24-point win and 43-point win over GLIAC foes Parkside and Davenport, respectively. 

UMD is scoring 82.5 ppg while giving up 65.3. They shoot an impressive 52.8% from the floor, 19th in the country. They are led by Drew Blair, who averages 21.5 points and 2.3 steals per game. Big man Austin Andrews is scoring 12.8 ppg while leading the team on the glass at 6.0 rpg. The 10.8 rebounding margin for the Bulldogs puts them at 17th in DII. 


Preseason Poll
Northern received 75 votes to slot two votes back of favorite Ferris State in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll. NMU picked up four first-place votes while the Bulldogs had five. Parkside, the reigning regular season, received the final first-place vote and will enter the season at No. 4 in the Preseason Poll. 

1 Ferris State - 77 (5)
2 Northern Michigan - 75 (4)
3 Grand Valley State - 61
4 Parkside - 50 (1)
5 Michigan Tech - 45
6 Saginaw Valley State - 41
7 Davenport - 35
7 Lake Superior State - 35
9 Wayne State - 20
10 Purdue Northwest - 11


New Faces on the Sideline
Matt Majkrzak has added two new faces to the sideline for the new campaign. Keil Ganz reunites with Majkrzak after  serving as Majkrzak's first assistant back in 2019. Ganz previously worked as the Director of Operations at the University of Southern Indiana (USI) in the Ohio Valley Conference as they transitioned to the Division 1 level. 

Luke Mattson has also been added on as an assistant coach. Mattson is coming off of a four-year playing career in college with a couple of stops and this is his first collegiate coaching stint after coaching three years of AAU.


A Historic 2022-23 Season
Northern finished 2022-23 with a 25-8 record, the most wins in program history.

The Wildcats, the No. 3 seed in the GLIAC Tournament a season ago, defeated No. 6 Saginaw Valley State in the quarterfinals, No. 2 and host Ferris State in the semifinals, and No. 8 Michigan Tech in the championship to capture the program's first tournament title since 2000. NMU then defeated Hillsdale in the NCAA Tournament before falling to McKendree, a team they beat to open last season, in the Round of 32.

After losing senior standout Max Bjorklund who led the GLIAC with 21.1 ppg, the Wildcats will turn to the young up-and-comers for success this season. NMU averaged 80.4 ppg last season and will carry over 60% of that scoring into this season.