Great Lakes Wire

Northern Michigan University's men's basketball team is set to continue its season with two upcoming games in the Lower Peninsula. The Wildcats, currently holding an 8-2 record and undefeated in their conference, will face Davenport University on January 2 and Grand Valley State University on January 4.

The Wildcats have been performing strongly, boasting a five-game winning streak. They recently secured a significant victory against Division III Northland College with a score of 83-37. Earlier in the season, they defeated No. 25 Upper Iowa with a close 79-76 win. However, they faced a setback against No. 6 Minnesota Duluth, marking their only road game loss so far.

The team's defense has been notable this season, allowing an average of just 65.3 points per game and limiting opponents to 28.7 rebounds per game. Gerald Gittens Jr. and Biggie Luster are leading the team in steals, contributing significantly to their defensive efforts.

Offensively, Dylan Kuehl leads the team with an average of 14.9 points per game and has recently surpassed the milestone of 1,000 career points. Julien Smith and Sam Privet also contribute double-digit averages to the team's scoring efforts.

Under the leadership of coach Matt Majkrzak, now in his sixth season, Northern Michigan aims for a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance following successful seasons that included capturing both GLIAC Tournament and regular-season titles.

Davenport University holds a current record of 4-6 but comes into the matchup with recent victories under their belt. Their offense relies heavily on senior guard Jovan Tucker.

Grand Valley State presents another challenge for NMU with a solid start in GLIAC play despite recent narrow losses. Their strong offensive lineup averages over 80 points per game.

In previous matchups between these teams last season, Northern Michigan emerged victorious against Davenport but had mixed results against Grand Valley State.

The Wildcats' preseason included hosting Michigan State for an exhibition match at Superior Dome Showdown attended by over 11,500 fans—an event highlighting Northern's competitive spirit despite falling short against the Spartans.