Weisbrod headlines Wildcats with 21 points, 13 in third quarter
UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The No. 13 Northern Michigan women’s basketball team picked up a 67-51 victory at Saginaw Valley State on Saturday afternoon to sweep the weekend road trip.
The Wildcats (15-3, 6-2) were tested early by the Cardinals (4-12, 2-6). NMU jumped ahead 18-8 after one, but a 19-14 second frame from the Cardinals made it a slim 32-27 NMU lead at halftime. With the lead again at five, 43-38, late in the third quarter, Northern closed the quarter on a 12-0 run and never looked back after that.
Jacy Weisbrod had a game-high 21 points, knocking down 5-of-7 (71.4%) of her three-point attempts. In the pivotal third quarter in which NMU outscored SVSU 23-11, Weisbrod scored 13 of her 21. Addison Pytleski was the only other Wildcat in double figures with 12.
On the glass, NMU controlled tempo with a 41-29 advantage. Alyssa Hill and Jordyn Schmittdiel each reached double figures with 10 boards.
Despite SVSU knocking down 7-of-14 attempts from three, the Green and Gold were stout defensively, forcing the Cardinals into 23 turnovers and recording 13 steals. Weisbrod, CJ Romero, and Sydney Whitehouse all recorded three apiece.
How it Happened
Northern came out sharp on both ends to open the contest. Addison Pytleski opened the scoring for the Wildcats, and Jacy Weisbrod quickly found her rhythm, knocking down a jumper and a three as part of a 9-0 NMU run that built an early 9-3 advantage at the first-quarter media timeout. SVSU hit a three on its opening possession, but the Cardinals then missed their next eight shots and went scoreless for more than six minutes as the Wildcats controlled the tempo.
Weisbrod continued to stretch the floor late in the quarter, drilling another three during a 6-0 spurt that pushed the lead into double digits at 15-5. Northern closed the opening frame in control, leading 18-8 after one.
The Wildcats carried that momentum into the second quarter, as Pytleski opened the scoring once again, converting an and-one before knocking down a three on the ensuing possession to extend the lead to 24-10. SVSU responded with its best stretch of the half, putting together a 12-4 run to pull within 28-22 with four minutes remaining.
Northern’s offense slowed after the hot start to the quarter, but Sarah Newcomer halted the momentum with another three to restore a 10-point cushion. SVSU, however, stayed within striking distance behind its outside shooting, scoring the final five points of the half, including a three at the buzzer, to trim the deficit to 32-27 at the break. SVSU outscored NMU 19-14 in the second quarter and remained close via the three, going 5-of-7 despite entering the game shooting just 21.7% on the season.
Northern responded out of the halftime break exactly as it needed to. The Wildcats opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run to quickly reassert control, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers from Weisbrod that pushed the lead back into double figures.
SVSU answered with a push of its own, stringing together a 9-1 run to cut the deficit back to five at 41-36 with 5:16 remaining in the quarter.
Just as the Cardinals appeared to gain momentum, Northern turned again to its perimeter shooting to halt the run. Newcomer knocked down a three to stop the bleeding, and Weisbrod followed with another from deep as part of a decisive 12-0 closing stretch. The surge allowed the Wildcats to fully seize control heading into the final period, carrying a 55-38 advantage into the fourth quarter.
NMU put the game out of reach early in the fourth. Newcomer connected on a three to extend the Wildcats’ advantage to its largest of the afternoon at 21. SVSU attempted one final push with a 7-0 run to trim the margin to 14, but Pytleski quickly ended any comeback hopes by burying a three with three minutes remaining, sealing the outcome down the stretch.
Up Next
The Wildcats will return home next week. They will host Purdue Northwest on Thursday, Jan. 22, and Wayne State on Saturday, Jan. 24.
