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Northern Michigan University

The Official Website of the Northern Michigan Wildcats Northern Michigan Wildcats
Sam Schultz
75
Northern Mich. NMU 18-7,10-5 GLIAC
81
Winner Grand Valley St. GVSU 15-9,9-5 GLIAC
Northern Mich. NMU
18-7,10-5 GLIAC
75
Final
81
Grand Valley St. GVSU
15-9,9-5 GLIAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Northern Mich. NMU 45 30 75
Grand Valley St. GVSU 41 40 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Wildcats Fall Short in Back-and-Forth Battle at Grand Valley

ALLENDALE, Mich. - In a game that saw 21 lead changes and over half the game being played within a possession, the Wildcats fell short by a 81-75 score at Grand Valley State on Saturday. 

The game was tied 71-71 with 3:29 to play, but a 6-0 run from GV took the wind out of the Wildcat sails. Max Bjorklund led NMU with 23 points, while Marius Grazulis was a force down low for the Lakers all game long, scoring 24. 

With the loss, NMU drops to 18-7 overall and 10-5 in GLIAC play, facing an uphill battle and needing outside help for a GLIAC regular season title. The Lakers moved to 15-9 and 9-5 withing the GLIAC. 


How it Happened
The Wildcats defense looked sound early, not giving way for a GV score until over three minutes in. The Wildcats led 8-2 early, but the sides continued to exchange blows from there. The Lakers took their first lead at 17-16 with 11:22 to go in the first half.

Sam Schultz provided a lift off the bench for NMU totaling nine points in the first half. The offenses heated up with the opening 20 minutes winding down, with the lead changing hands 14 times in the first half. NMU would hold a slim 45-41 edge at the break, with D. Kuehl, Schlutz, and Bjorklund combining for 28 points. 

The Lakers started the second half on a 7-0 run, going ahead 48-41. After their first basket at 19:43 closed it to a one score game, the game didn't see a two-score advantage again until 5:03 to go, when GV went up four. 

The 'Cats battled, with two threes within a minute of each other closing the gap when it looked like the Lakers may pull away. After Bjorklund's triple tied it at 71 with 3:29 to go, the Lakers put together the game's most important run, a 6-0 run over three minutes, to hold a multiple-possession lead with less than a minute left. 

The Lakers hit free throws down the stretch to put the game away and secure the 81-75 victory. 


Postgame Notes
  • Max Bjorklund scored 23 points on 10-19 shooting. It is the 11th game this season he has poured in at least 20 points. 
  • Marius Grazulis scored a season-high 24 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. 
  • NMU shot 27-62 (43.5%) while GV was 29-57 (50.9%). 
  • After a pretty even first half, the Lakers shot 56.0% in the second half to just 36.4% form the Wildcats. 
  • The Lakers got the the line a whopping 18 times in the second half, going 10-18. NMU was just 2-3. 


Up Next
The Wildcats will be home for the final time in the regular season, with Parkside and Purdue Northwest visiting the Berry. It will start against Parkside on Thursday, February 16 at 5:30 p.m.
 
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