MARQUETTE, Mich. - The No. 17 Northern Michigan men's basketball team (16-5, 9-0) starts the second half of GLIAC play this week, as they'll prepare to hit the road vs. the No. 18 ranked Bulldogs of Ferris State University (16-4, 6-3) on Thursday, February 1 at 7:30 p.m. The Cats' will then travel to Sault Ste. Marie, to contest the Lake Superior State University Lakers (13-6, 5-4) on Saturday, February 3 at 3 p.m. 

After a 9-0 start in GLIAC play with a blowout victory vs. rivals Michigan Tech last weekend, the Green and Gold will look to continue to stay atop the conference standings. Defending the three-point line will be pivotal for Northern to keep its 12-game winning streak alive, as Ferris is seventh nationally from deep (40.7%) and Lake Superior State is just ahead of them at sixth (40.8%). 


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Follow @NMUMensBBALL and @NMU_Wildcats on Twitter for continuous updates throughout the week.
 
Thursday, February 1 - at  No. 18 Ferris State University  at 7:30 p.m.
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Saturday, February 3 - at  Lake Superior State University at 3 p.m.
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A Word From Matt Majkrzak
"We're aware of how big this one is. We respect Ferris for what they are and what they've done in recent history. Knowing that we follow in up with Lake State and I think that's the toughest gym to play in…this weekend we could either cement our spot up top, or it could get dicey and that's on us and how we can perform."



Last Time Out
Northern continued its in-conference dominance by pouncing on Michigan Tech in an overwhelming 98-66 win. Leading 44-33 at half, the Green and Gold would go on to score 54  points in the second half on an eye-popping 20-31 (64.5%) mark from the floor and 9-14 (64.3%) clip from beyond the arc. The Huskies were held to just 1-12 (8.3%) from deep in the second half. It was the fifth straight win for the NMU in the rivalry, and Northern still remains the last unbeaten team in conference play. 

Max Weisbrod scored a career-high 35 points, shooting an efficient 10-18 (55.6%) from the field and a career-best 7-12 (58.3%) clip from deep. Carson Smith was second in command with 23 points, shooting 7-9 from the field and 3-3 from deep. Sam Schultz had another dominating game, hauling in 13 rebounds and adding 11 points en route to his eighth double-double of the season. 


Cat Nips

• In the latest D2CSC national poll, the Wildcats moved to No. 17. Northern is also ranked first Midwest Regional Poll.
• For a program that has been around for well over 100 years (since 1906), the Wildcats are currently on the second longest winning streak in program history at 12 games. This puts the 2023-24 squad just one game shy of the program's all-time winning streak of 13 set in 1984-85.
• Northern has earned a GLIAC Player of the Week for the fourth straight week as Sam Schultz has been named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. Schultz helped lead the Green and Gold to its 12th consecutive win, recording his eighth double-double of the season vs. Michigan Tech. Schultz leads the GLIAC at 10.3 rebounds/game, which is good for 11th in the country. Averaging 10.5 points/game, he is one of 12 in DII to be averaging a double-double, and the only one to boast the honors in the Midwest. 
• Over the last five games, Max Weisbrod has been one of the best players in the country, averaging 24.2 points/game while shooting 22-39 (56.4%) from beyond the arc. On the season, he now sits in seventh in the GLIAC in scoring (16.3), second in assists/game (4.2), and second in three-pointers made (59-149, 39.6%). 
• The Green and Gold is the only conference team to have five in double figures: Dylan Kuehl (16.4 ppg), Max Weisbrod (16.3), Carson Smith (12.2), Sam Schultz (10.5), and Brian Parzych (10.3). 
• The 1.62 assist/turnover ratio for the 'Cats is the sixth best mark in the country. Northern is also averaging seven more rebounds a contest than their opponents, good for 11th in the nation. NMU is only allowing 7.1 offensive rpg, the best mark among conference teams. 
• Northern is averaging 81.0 ppg while allowing 70.7 ppg. The 81.0 points per game is second in the GLIAC. NMU is ranked second in the conference in FG%, shooting 48.8% from the floor and 35.8% from downtown, good for fourth. 
• The 'Cats are near the top of the conference in both creating assists on offense and preventing assists on defense, as their 16.5/game is third most while the 10.3/game they allow is the second fewest. 
• NMU has had one of the stingiest defenses in the country during its 12-game winning streak, allowing just 62.9 ppg on a 41.8% shooting clip.  
• The Wildcats are 80-50 (.615) under 5th year head coach Matt Majkrzak. With 25 victories at Bryant and Stratton before he got to NMU, Majkrzak hit the 100 collegiate wins milestone in NMU's victory at Grand Valley earlier this season. 

Notes on Ferris State 
The Bulldogs enter Thursday's matchup ranked right behind the 'Cats in the latest D2CSC poll at No.18. They are 16-4 overall and 6-3 in the GLIAC. FSU has won three of its last five games, recently losing at SVSU 99-89. FSU leads the conference in points/game (87.8) while allowing 71.0 ppg in conference play. The Bulldogs shoot 50.6% from the floor, which leads the conference and 40.7% from three. 

Finding the open man in conjunction with not turning the ball over has been FSU's foundation for their offense this year, as they lead the country with a 1.92 assist/turnover ratio.

The offense is led by junior Ethan Erickson averaging 14.3 ppg while shooting an efficient 49.3% from behind the arc, good for fourth in the country. Graduate senior Ben Davidson is second in command averaging 12.7 ppg.

In January at the Berry, Northern completed the miracle comeback, defeating the Bulldogs by a score of 75-71. Northern scored the final eight points of the came to ice it. Max Weisbrod led the Wildcat attack with 18 points while Riley Brooks and Carson Smith added 15 each. Ethan Erickson led the way for the Bulldogs with 16 points on 5-9 shooting from the field. 


Notes on Lake Superior State
The Lakers enter the weekend with a 13-6 overall and 5-4 within conference play. LSSU has won four of its last five matches, and have only lost one game on home court.

Lake Superior State averages 74.6 ppg, while only allowing 65.8 ppg. They shoot 48.1% from the floor, and 40.8% from beyond the three-point line, which is first in the GLIAC and sixth in the country. The Lakers have dominated on the defensive side of the ball this season, as they are first in the league in fewest points allowed per game (65.8). 

The last meeting between the two in early January, the Cats' completed another dramatic comeback beating the Lakers off a buzzer-beater bank shot by Max Weisbrod. The Cats were down 70-62 with less than two minutes left. Weisbrod hit two triples and his buzzer beater to win 72-71. Weisbrod paced the way on the night, scoring 25 points on 9-14 shooting, including a 6-9 downtown mark. Teammate Dylan Kuehl was not far behind, adding 22 points. Tyson Edmondson led the Lakers offensively with 19 points on 7-15 shooting from the field. Kingsley Perkins, was second in command scoring 18 points on the night with six rebounds.