MARQUETTE, Mich. - Max Bjorklund (24 points) and Max Weisbrod (22 points) combined for 46 as Northern Michigan (20-7, 12-5) defeated the Purdue Northwest Pride (11-15, 4-12) by an 84-78 score in the final regular season home game. 

Despite scoring 84, the 'Cats shot just 26-68 (38.2%) and 6-21 (28.6%) from three. The Pride had a better touch from the floor, going 24-51 (47.1%) and a hot 15-28 (53.6%) from deep. 

With the cold-shooting, NMU won the game down low, leading in points in the paint 40-18 and outrebounding the Pride 45-31, including 20-5 on the offensive glass. The attack on the offensive glass led to a 27-10 margin in second-chance points. The 'Cats also turned the ball over just three times, a season-low. It dropped the season average to 9.9/game, one of only nine DII schools to have a turnover mark under ten. 

On Senior Day, Max Bjorklund once again paced the Wildcat attack, going 10-10 from the charity stripe. Weisbrod went 8-9 from the line as the guard combo led the Wildcats down the stretch. The two combined for the six Wildcat triples on the day as well. Dylan Kuehl added eight points (all in the 2nd half) to go along with 11 rebounds. Mikell Cooper had a highlight day for the Pride, scoring 30 on 9-13 shooting. 


How it Happened
The Wildcats found efficiency via second-chance points early on. Without getting many first shots to fall, NMU attacked the glass for putbacks on each of its first three baskets. The Pride seemingly couldn't miss early on, starting 5-6 from deep to NMU's 0-5. Three straight triples sequenced a 9-0 PNW run to leap ahead 19-8 eight minutes into the action. 

The Green and Gold had a few tricks up their sleeves to get back into it, converting defensive stops into points and also getting a few shots to fall from beyond the arc. A 12-0 spurt pushed Northern ahead 20-19 with 6:50 remaining, holding the Pride scoreless for over six minutes. 

Another pair of triples from PNW jolted the visitors back in front, but NMU strung together another significant run of 11-0 variety to go up 38-30, backed by the Max and Max guard combo hitting three more threes. The Pride got fouled on a three to close the half, making the intermission score 38-33. Each Max poured in a dozen for the Wildcats in the opening 20 minutes. 

After a scoreless first half, Dylan Kuehl came out locked and loaded, getting consecutive hoops for the Green and Gold. The domination in the paint continued, with Sam Schultz converting on back-to-back buckets himself to give NMU a 10-point cushion early in the second half. 

The Wildcats once again held PNW scoreless for a significant amount of time, this time a 4:39 stretch to help build upon a lead. 

The Pride didn't seem phased, however, as an 8-0 run backed by two triples made it 56-50. Bjorklund answered it with two acrobatic and-ones over a few-minute stretch to push the lead back to double figures. 

Up eight with 1:04 to go, the Wildcats would go a perfect 12-12 from the free-throw line to close the game. It would be needed, as PNW's Kai Steinman hit three triples in the last minute. The game was as close as four with 40 seconds left, but the clutch gene from Bjorklund and Weisbrod from the charity stripe put the game on ice. 


Postgame Notes

• Max Bjorklund scored a team-high 24 points. It marked the 12th straight game he's scored in double figures and the 13th time he's gone for at least 20 this season. His average sits at 20.5 PPG. He was a perfect 10-10 on FT attempts. 
• Max Weisbrod added 22 points, the sixth time he's hit the 20+ point plateau. 
• Mikell Cooper scored 30 points for the second time this season for PNW, going 9-13 from the floor and 5-7 from three. 
• NMU won the game down low, leading in points in the paint 40-18 and outrebounding the Pride 45-31.
• NMU held a 20-5 margin on the offensive glass. The emphasis on offensive rebounding led to a 27-10 margin in second-chance points. Each of the Sam's (Schultz and Privet) grabbed four offensive boards to help generate these second-chance points. 
• The 'Cats turned the ball over just three times, a season-low. It dropped the season average to 9.9/game, one of only nine DII schools to have a turnover mark under ten. 

Up Next
The Wildcats will play one more game in the regular season, a trip to Michigan Tech on Saturday, February 25. Tip-off will be at 3 p.m.