MARQUETTE, Mich. - Holding an 8-0 record for the first time since the 1998-99 season, the Northern Michigan women's basketball team will hit the road for a pair of non-conference games this weekend.
Northern will stop at Northwood on Friday, December 20 for a matchup with the Timberwolves at 3 p.m. The team will then head to Ohio to contest the Ashland Eagles on Sunday, December 22 at 2 p.m.
Northern Michigan is currently No. 22 in the WBCA poll and No. 13 in the D2CSC poll.
The games can be listened to on 100.3 The Point, with Casey Ford on the call on Friday and Garrett Searight calling the action on Sunday.
Follow the Action
Follow @NMU_WBBall and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly known as Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the matches.
Friday, December 20 - at Northwood at 3 p.m.
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Sunday, December 22 - at No. 21 Ashland at 2 p.m.
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About the 'Cats
At 8-0, the Wildcats are ranked No. 22 in the nation in the latest WBCA poll. In the D2CSC poll, the 'Cats are 13th and second in the Midwest. NMU is one of 10 undefeated teams remaining of 290 in Division II. The 8-0 start is the best since the 1998-99 season when the Wildcats started 16-0.
The Green and Gold rank near the top of the nation in several categories: 2nd in defensive rebounds per game (32.1), 11th in assist/turnover ratio (1.21), 27th in rebounds per game (42.9), 30th in field goal percentage defense (34.8), and 33rd in rebounding margin (+8.3).
Jacy Weisbrod is 4th in the conference averaging 15.4 points per game. She has scored in double figures and made multiple triples in all but one game. Her 3.1 made threes per game paces all conference players and is the 13th best in the nation.
Sarah Newcomer follows at 11.0 points per game while ranking 4th in the league at 3.5 assists per game and tied for second with a 2.0 assist/turnover ratio.
On the glass,
Alyssa Nimz ranks 5th in the GLIAC at 7.8 rebounds per game while
Alyssa Hill is 13th with 6.0.
Head coach
Casey Thousand has accrued a record of 45-23 (.662) in her 2+ seasons at the helm. Last year, Northern went 22-10 and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, defeating Kentucky Wesleyan to make the Round of 32.
A Look at Northwood
The Timberwolves are 2-9 this season, but have a signature win over No. 10 Ashland, 69-58. They've lost two straight since that win, but are 2-1 on their home court. The team is averaging 66.1 points per game and shooting 38.4% from the floor.
The Timberwolves have been disruptive on defense, averaging 4.1 blocks and 10.9 steals per game, both top-50 marks nationally. Maeve St. John's 3.4 steals per game is 15th in the country and Lea Holmes is 12th nationally with 2.3 blocks per game.
Offensively, the Timberwolves are led by St. John (16.5 ppg), Holmes (14.8), and Maddie Voelker (12.4).
The Wildcats are 51-24 all-time vs. Northwood, with the first meeting taking place in 1981-82. NMU won the meeting last season in Marquette, 68-43. Weisbrod scored 17 to lead the Wildcats while Newcomer chipped in another 10.
A Look at Ashland
The Eagles are ranked No. 21 in the country with a 9-3 record this season. They've won three straight and are a perfect 4-0 at home. The Eagles have been a perennial powerhouse in DII hoops, making it to the Final Four last season and winning it all in 2022-23 with a perfect 37-0 record.
The Eagles rank 8th in the country in scoring defense (50.6), 5th in assists per game (18.7), 14th in field goal percentage (46.1), and 22nd in assist/turnover ratio (1.12).
The offense is balanced, with seven players averaging over five points per game. Zoe Miller (12.5) and Hayley Smith (11.7) lead the way, while Smith's 10.8 rebounds per game ranks top-10 in Division II. Morgan Yoder (3.8 assists per game), Smith (2.9), and Lydia Sweeney (2.9) have all played a key role in one of the best passing teams in the nation.
In 37 all-time meetings, the Wildcats are 17-20. The Eagles have owned the series as of late, winning 14 of the past 15. NMU fell 71-60 last year in Marquette.
