WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – In the first-ever meeting between the programs, the Northern Michigan men's basketball team snapped Northwest Missouri State's five-game winning streak with a commanding 69-51 victory on Saturday.
The Wildcats took control after halftime, outscoring the Bearcats 36-20 and using a decisive 14-2 run out of the break to build a double-digit lead they never relinquished.
It was another dominant performance for graduate forward
Dylan Kuehl, who followed his career-high 35-point outburst against Northern State with an 18-point, 16-rebound double-double. His 16 boards left him just one shy of matching his career high. He also chipped in four assists, one block, and one steal.
Northern Michigan balanced its scoring once again, with
Jackson Dudek posting 13 points,
Cal Klesmit adding 12, and
Sam Privet reaching double figures with 10. All eight Wildcats who saw the floor scored and grabbed at least one rebound, contributing to the team's steady production across the rotation. Only Trey Moala (10 points) broke double figures for the Bearcats.
The Wildcats controlled the interior throughout the game, doubling up the Bearcats 48-24 on the glass. That included a 15-4 edge in offensive rebounds, leading to an 18-6 advantage in second-chance points. NMU shot 44.6% (29-65) from the field and 36.4% (8-22) from three, while holding Northwest Missouri State to 35.2% (19-54) overall and 20.0% (3-15) from behind the arc.
NMU's win moves them to 3-1 on the season, as they now prepare for their home opener on Wednesday, November 26. The Bearcats fell to 5-2.
How it Happened
Northern Michigan opened the game with early rhythm from deep, as
Charlie Miller and
Jackson Dudek knocked down back-to-back threes to help the Wildcats to an 8-4 lead four minutes in. But Northwest Missouri State responded with a 7-0 run and continued to build momentum over the next several minutes, pushing ahead 21-16, its largest lead of the game.
A three from
Brooks Hinson trimmed the deficit to 23-21 with 6:30 left, but NMU continued to trail by one or two possessions until late in the half. That changed when
Trevor Polite converted a putback to tie it at 31 with 1:40 remaining.
Sam Privet followed with a finish at the rim to reclaim the lead, and the Wildcats closed the half on a 6-0 run to take a 33-31 advantage into the break.
NMU's work on the glass was the difference early, holding a dominant 20-11 edge in rebounds, including 6-1 on the offensive boards and 12-2 on second-chance points. All eight Wildcats who saw the floor scored in the opening half.
Dylan Kuehl set the tone out of the break, scoring the first points of the half and knocking down a three moments later as he poured in nine points during a 14-2 Northern Michigan run.
Cal Klesmit added a triple in the surge, and the Wildcats suddenly found themselves up 47-33 less than five minutes into the half. Northwest Missouri State struggled to keep pace, opening just 1-for-11 from the field over the first seven minutes.
From there, NMU maintained a comfortable double-digit cushion the rest of the way, controlling the tempo and continuing to disrupt defensively.
Jackson Dudek delivered the exclamation point with a late slam to stretch the lead to 67-49 with just over a minute remaining, sealing the outcome.
The Wildcats closed out a 69-51 win, holding the Bearcats to only 20 points in the final 20 minutes on an 8-28 (28.6%) clip.
Up Next
The Wildcats will host Concordia (WI) on Wednesday, November 26, at 2 p.m. for the first home game of the season.
