Great Lakes Wire

Trailing for much of the game, the Northern Michigan University (NMU) men's basketball team rallied to defeat Purdue Northwest 76-75 on Saturday in Hammond, Indiana. This victory concluded their regular season with a record of 19-9 overall and 13-7 in the conference.

The Wildcats secured the No. 4 seed for the upcoming GLIAC Tournament and will host No. 5 Grand Valley State on Wednesday, March 5 at Vandament Arena. Grand Valley State cemented their spot as the No. 5 seed after defeating Roosevelt with a score of 106-51.

With less than four minutes remaining, NMU faced a nine-point deficit at 75-66. Dylan Kuehl initiated a crucial 10-0 run by scoring an and-one basket. Sam Privet contributed by making two free throws, while Derek Merwick went five-for-six from the free throw line to secure NMU's lead and eventual win.

Kuehl led NMU with 18 points, shooting eight-for-fifteen from the field and collecting eight rebounds. Privet added eleven points, while Julien Smith scored ten points. Quinton McCullough led Purdue Northwest with twenty-two points.

Northern Michigan shot forty-five point nine percent overall and twenty-nine point six percent from beyond the arc, while Purdue Northwest exceeded fifty percent shooting from the field but committed thirteen turnovers which NMU converted into thirteen points.

Early in the game, both teams exchanged leads before Purdue Northwest went on an eight-point run to take control at fourteen-seven. They extended their lead to seventeen points at one stage during the first half but entered halftime leading only forty-two-thirty-five after NMU responded with a ten-point run.

In the second half, Northern Michigan quickly narrowed their deficit through three-pointers from Smith and Privet. Despite another strong push by Purdue Northwest that extended their lead back to double digits midway through the second half, NMU's late-game surge secured them victory.

The Wildcats now turn their attention towards preparing for their quarterfinal matchup against Grand Valley State on March fifth as they aim for further success in this year's GLIAC Tournament.