ERIE, Pa. – The Northern Michigan women's basketball team earned a statement early-season victory on Saturday night, stunning No. 5 Gannon 60-58 in a thrilling finish at the CCA Tip-Off Classic.

The Wildcats set the tone early, jumping out to a 20-16 lead after the first quarter and maintaining a 35-33 edge at halftime. Northern came out firing in the second half, quickly extending the margin to double digits before taking a 50-43 lead into the fourth. The 'Cats led by as many as 12 in the final frame before withstanding a late Gannon surge and locking down defensively in the final seconds to seal the upset on the road.

All 10 Wildcats who saw the floor also found the scoresheet, led by Jacy Weisbrod's 16 points on an efficient 5-for-9 (55.6%) shooting night. Sarah Newcomer added nine points on three triples, while Alyssa Hill chipped in eight points and a team-high five boards. Gannon was paced by Bri Claxon, who scored 14 points.

Northern shot 19-for-48 (39.6%) from the floor and made a difference from beyond the arc, going 7-for-13 (53.8%). The Golden Knights also hit seven threes, but on 28 attempts for a 25.0% clip. The Wildcats controlled the glass 39-32 and dominated second-chance points 15-5.

After Gannon knocked off No. 2 Union on Friday, the Wildcats handed the hosts a dose of their own medicine, taking down a team fresh off its own top-five victory. 

The win also marked Northern's first victory over a top-five opponent since March 16, 2019, when the Wildcats upset No. 4 Ashland 64-57 in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional quarterfinals.

With the victory, Northern improves to 2-0 and secures a statement result in the early going of the 2025-26 season.


How it Happened
Just like in Friday's opener, Alyssa Hill opened the scoring on NMU's first possession. The offenses started hot, combining for six makes on the first seven attempts as the game was tied 8-8 less than three minutes in. Newcomer knocked down a pair of first-quarter threes to spark the Wildcats' offense, which again hit the 20-point mark in the opening frame for the third quarter to lead 20-16.

Gannon's Claxon scored seven of the first nine points in the second quarter to give the Golden Knights their first and only lead of the night at 23-22. That advantage was short-lived, as another Newcomer triple put Northern back in front. It was a tight first half throughout, with NMU shooting 12-for-24 (50.0%) from the field and 4-for-6 (66.7%) from three to take a 35-33 lead into halftime.

Northern came out of the break firing, using an 11-3 run to stretch the lead to double digits. Weisbrod's three from the wing pushed the margin to 46-36 midway through the quarter, and NMU carried a 50-43 lead into the final 10 minutes.

The Wildcats struck again early in the fourth, as CJ Romero buried back-to-back threes, her only two attempts from deep on the night, to make it 56-44. But Gannon refused to go quietly, trimming the deficit to 58-52 with five minutes left.

With NMU's offense cooling off, the defense had to make a stand. Gannon inched within one at 59-58 with a minute to go, setting up a tense finish. After Addison Pytleski went 1-for-2 at the line with 3.3 seconds remaining, Gannon called a timeout to advance the ball for a potential game-winner.

But the Wildcats had other plans. Northern locked down one last time, forcing a contested final look that rattled off the rim, punctuating a defensive stand worthy of the upset on the road.


Up Next
The Wildcats will look to cap a perfect weekend at the CCA Tip-Off Classic when they face Edinboro at 4 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 9).