SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Dylan Kuehl dominated with a 31-point, 11-rebound double-double to will the Northern Michigan Wildcats to a 77-74 comeback victory on the road at Lake Superior State on Thursday night.

Trailing by as many as 14 points, the Wildcats didn't take their first lead until just 2:53 remained. Northern erased a 10-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Lakers 50-37 in the second half, completing a hard-fought rally in a hostile environment.

NMU struggled to find its footing early, shooting just 8-27 (29.6%) in the first half and heading into the break down 37-27. The Wildcats flipped the script after halftime, finding offensive rhythm and shooting 19-33 (57.6%) over the final 20 minutes.

Kuehl was spectacular throughout, finishing with 31 points on 11-17 (64.7%) shooting to go along with a game-high 11 rebounds and four blocks. He scored 18 points in the second half, including a three-pointer with six minutes left that finally tied the game after the Lakers had repeatedly answered every Northern surge.

But it was on the defensive end where Kuehl delivered the defining moment. With the score tied 72-72 and 35 seconds remaining, Kuehl rotated over to reject a driving layup attempt. On the ensuing possession, Cal Klesmit buried a corner three with 21 seconds left, giving NMU a lead it would not relinquish.

Freshman Brooks Hinson sealed the comeback at the free-throw line, calmly knocking down two shots with 4.6 seconds remaining. A potential game-tying triple at the buzzer fell short, as the Wildcats completed the road rally.

Bennett Basich was the only other Wildcat in double figures, scoring 10 points, all in the second half. He opened the final 20 minutes with a three to spark NMU's comeback and added several key baskets down the stretch.

Northern once again controlled the glass, outrebounding the Lakers 41-29. With six more offensive rebounds, the Wildcats turned those extra possessions into an eight-point edge in second-chance scoring.

Lake Superior State was led by Omar Suleiman with 19 points.

With the win, Northern improves to 15-2 overall and 6-1 in GLIAC play, keeping pace atop the conference standings with Michigan Tech, also 15-2 and 6-1. The Huskies edged Saginaw Valley State 80-78 on Thursday night — a team NMU will face on Saturday.


How it Happened
LSSU set the tone early, scoring the game's first seven points and forcing a Northern Michigan timeout just two and a half minutes in. The Wildcats' first points came at the free-throw line from Dylan Kuehl, as NMU struggled to find rhythm offensively out of the gate.

Northern missed its first three shots and committed six turnovers in the opening 5:38, falling behind 11-2 before Kuehl knocked down a three for NMU's first field goal. The Lakers maintained control through the early stages, holding a 14-8 lead eight minutes in.

Cal Klesmit briefly helped trim the deficit with a three to make it 16-13 near the midway point of the half, but Lake State responded with a decisive 10-2 run to push their advantage to double digits at 26-15.

With halftime approaching, Kuehl buried back-to-back three-pointers in the final minutes to keep the Wildcats within striking distance, sending NMU into the break down 37-27. The Wildcats shot just 8-27 (29.6%) in the opening half and turned the ball over nine times. Kuehl carried the offense with 13 points and seven rebounds, while no other Wildcat made more than one field goal in the half. 

Northern came out of the locker room with renewed energy, as Bennett Basich knocked down a three on the first possession. That sparked a 7-0 run in the opening minutes, pulling NMU within one possession at 37-34 just over two minutes into the half.

LSSU answered each push and continued to protect its lead, but Northern repeatedly leaned on Kuehl to stay close. He scored on consecutive possessions, and another Basich three trimmed the deficit to 47-45 with 12:30 remaining. Even as NMU closed the gap to two and three points multiple times, the Lakers responded, stringing together a 5-0 run to regain momentum and take a 56-49 advantage as the half crossed its midway point.

Nonetheless, the Wildcats continued to chip away. Charlie Miller converted a four-point play to cut the margin to three, and Kuehl followed with a triple of his own to keep it there. After spending much of the game within one or two possessions — down three at 17:52 and down two at 12:29 — Northern finally broke through when Kuehl buried another three with 6:01 left, tying the game at 61-61.

With the pressure mounting late, Northern delivered when it was needed most. Jackson Dudek drilled a three with 2:53 remaining to give NMU its first lead of the game, and Basich followed with a spinning layup to push the advantage to 72-69 with under two minutes to play.

The Lakers responded with a triple to even the score at 72 with 1:19 left, setting up a tense final minute. Kuehl came up with a pivotal defensive play, rejecting a shot with 35 seconds remaining, and Cal Klesmit capitalized on the other end by knocking down a corner three with 21 seconds to give the Wildcats a 75-72 edge.

Freshman Brooks Hinson sealed the comeback at the free-throw line, calmly sinking both attempts with 4.6 seconds left to close out a hard-fought 77-74 victory.


Up Next
The Wildcats will look to make it a weekend sweep on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they visit Saginaw Valley State. Opening tip is scheduled for 3 p.m.