Lakers get very good starts in each half
MARQUETTE, Mich. – In a high-intensity matchup at Vandament Arena on Saturday afternoon, the Lake Superior State Lakers used a 13-0 run in the first half and another 15-0 run in the second to edge the No. 16 Northern Michigan Wildcats 71-68, giving NMU its first home loss of the season.
NMU faced an early 17-4 deficit after a 13-0 Laker run, but battled back to take a 30-28 lead at halftime. The Lakers again went on a 15-0 run early in the second half and pushed their lead back to a dozen. NMU battled back to tie the game, but could never get over the hump, as LSSU came up with two timely blocks late and converted at the free-throw line to win the game.
The Wildcats were led by Dylan Kuehl with a game-high 26 points. He shot 10-15 from the floor and tied Jackson Dudek with eight boards. Bennett Basich followed with 13 while no other Wildcat reached double figures. The Lakers had four in double figures, led by Nino Carter-Smith’s 18.
In a game that was balanced across much of the box score, the Lakers made their strides on the fastbreak, outscoring NMU 18-4. They also turned 12 NMU turnovers into 18 points.
The Wildcats are now 20-4 overall and 11-3 in GLIAC play, tied with Michigan Tech and Grand Valley State in a three-way tie atop the conference.
How it Happened
Northern wasted no time bringing energy into the building, as Dylan Kuehl opened the scoring with a two-handed reverse dunk. The spark was quickly met by a response from Lake State, however, as the Lakers rattled off a 17-2 run to seize a 17-4 lead six minutes in. LSSU’s defense set the tone early, pushing NMU deep into the shot clock and forcing tough, contested looks.
Momentum swung when Trevor Polite stopped the run with an and-one off an offensive rebound. Brooks Hinson followed by knocking down a three as the Wildcats answered with a 10-0 run, holding the Lakers scoreless for more than five minutes. Northern erased the deficit and tied the game at 23-23 with six minutes remaining. Kuehl then knocked down a three and followed it with a baseline reverse layup to give NMU a 28-26 edge, its first lead since the opening possession. The Wildcats carried a 30-28 advantage into halftime, fueled by defense that held LSSU to just 11 points over the final 14 minutes.
After Cal Klesmit was limited by foul trouble in the first half, he opened the second half scoring by burying a three on his first shot, extending NMU’s lead to 36-30. LSSU responded with a surge of its own that was the difference in the game, scoring 15 straight points to reclaim momentum and build a 45-36 lead with under 12 minutes remaining in a high-intensity affair. The Lakers pushed the margin to as many as 12 at 50-38 with 11:30 to play.
Northern continued to battle, as Bennett Basich converted an and-one to cut the deficit to 55-48 at the 8:54 mark. A Charlie Miller corner three capped a 13-2 Wildcat run and pulled NMU within one at 57-56 with six minutes left. Kuehl followed with another triple to tie the game at 59-59 at 5:20, bringing the crowd to life.
The Lakers answered with five straight points from Omar Suleiman to quiet the momentum. NMU went scoreless for more than three minutes before Kuehl connected again from deep to make it a 64-62 game with two minutes remaining. The Lakers then blocked three-point attempts on back-to-back possessions and iced the game at the free-throw line.
Up Next
The Wildcats will look to bounce back on the road, heading to the Motor City to take on Wayne State on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
