Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan University men's basketball team is set to begin its 2025-26 season with two games at the Justagame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells. The Wildcats will face Maryville on Friday, November 14, and Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday, November 15, with both games scheduled for a 4 p.m. ET tip-off.

This marks the third consecutive season that Northern Michigan has played multiple games at this venue. The team has found success there, holding a 5-1 record in Wisconsin Dells and going undefeated in four games last season.

Fans can watch both contests through the Justagame Fieldhouse website or listen via local radio stations: Friday's game on 100.3 The Point and Saturday's on 94.9 The Bay with Casey Ford providing commentary.

Head coach Matt Majkrzak spoke about the return of several veteran players: "Having three guys deciding to return for their fifth year is sweet and cool, knowing that they have their degree, and they want to play one more year together."

Northern Michigan enters the new season after winning last year's GLIAC Tournament title and being picked second in this year's preseason poll. Graduate players Dylan Kuehl and Jackson Dudek lead the returning group; Kuehl averaged 16.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last year while surpassing 1,000 career points, while Dudek was named GLIAC Tournament MVP after averaging nearly 16 points during their championship run.

Sam Privet also returns as part of a frontcourt trio that combined for close to 35 points and 17 rebounds per game last season. Nine newcomers join the roster this year, including Division I transfers Charlie Miller from Northern Iowa and Bennett Basich from UW-Green Bay.

Majkrzak enters his seventh season as head coach with an overall record of 108-66 (.621) and has led NMU to championships in each of the past three seasons.

Maryville comes into Friday’s matchup following a preseason exhibition loss to Missouri State but showed improvement in the second half of that contest. Their roster features all new players after significant changes over the offseason.

Missouri-St. Louis arrives winless so far this year but was picked third in its conference’s preseason poll after reaching last year’s NCAA Sweet Sixteen.