MARQUETTE, Mich. – The No. 20-ranked Wildcats will be on the road this weekend, making stops at Lake Superior State on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m., followed by a visit to Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 3 p.m.
NMU picked up a big win on Monday, defeating Ferris State 95-66. Now at 14-2 overall and 5-1 in the GLIAC, the Wildcats will look to keep pace at the top of the conference standings.
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About the Wildcats
After winning 12 straight games and falling at No. 12 Michigan Tech 84-75 last week, Northern got right back in the win column on Monday with a 95-66 victory over Ferris State. NMU shot 38-60 (63.3%), their best output vs. a Division II opponent not only this season, but the best since Dec. 6, 2018 (41-63, 65.1% vs. Purdue Northwest).
For the fourth straight game,
Dylan Kuehl led the way. He scored a game-high 23 points on an ultra-efficient 10-13 (76.9%) shooting display. Over his past four games, he is averaging 27.0 points per game and shooting 60.7% from the floor. On the season, he is third in the conference with 18.8 points per game and fourth from the field, shooting 54.0%.
The Wildcats have been one of the most efficient teams in the nation through 16 games, as they lead the country with a +13.4 rebounding margin. They are also top 10 in assist/turnover ratio (2nd, 1.83), scoring defense (3rd, 60.1), scoring margin (4th, 24.6), three pointers per game (8th, 11.1), and three-point percentage (9th, 39.7).
pairing elite defense with efficiency on both ends of the floor. Defensively, NMU is the standard nationally, allowing just 58.0 points per game — the lowest mark in Division II. The Wildcats are also second in the nation with a +13.2 rebounding margin and 1.9 assist/turnover ratio.
A big reason for the success from beyond the arc is redshirt sophomore
Cal Klesmit, who is averaging 13.9 points per game. His 3.0 made threes per game leads the conference while his 43.2% clip ranks second.
A Look at Lake Superior State
The Lakers are 8-7 overall and 2-4 within the GLIAC. Last weekend, they fell at Parkside but bounced back with a 59-52 win at Roosevelt. Karter Richards led the way with 16 points.
Redshirt sophomore Omar Suleiman paces the team with an average of 16.3 points per game. Harrison Sorrelle is at 14.2 points per game. Averaging 85.7 points per game, the Lakers have the 36th-ranked scoring offense in Division II.
A Look at Saginaw Valley State
The Cardinals enter the weekend at 9-5 overall and 3-3 in GLIAC games. They have alternated wins and losses over their last 10, with a most recent 87-81 defeat at Parkside. On their home court, they are 4-2.
The team is led by Xavier Thomas (17.0 points per game) and Marquese Josephs (14.9). SVSU presents a challenge on the glass, as their 40.1 rebounds per game narrowly edges Northern (40.0) for the conference lead.
