Five Wildcats score in double figures, led by Hinson’s 22
WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – The Keil Ganz era got off to a memorable start on Friday night, as Northern Michigan delivered a dominant team performance to open the season with an 82-62 victory over the Central Oklahoma Bronchos at the D2 CCA Midwest Tip-Off Challenge.
In his first game as head coach of the Wildcats, Ganz loved what he saw from his group, as Northern controlled the contest from the opening possession and never trailed. The Wildcats put together an explosive first half, building a lead as large as 36-10 before carrying a 44-25 advantage into the break.
“I am so proud of these guys,” Ganz said after the win. “We were tough today. We were unselfish today. And it’s so fun to win. Being able to get my first win here in the Dells where I coached a lot of games as an AAU coach is pretty cool.”
Despite a 24-13 disadvantage in fouls, including being called for the first seven fouls of the second half, the Wildcats remained composed and continued to dictate the pace. Northern maintained its double-digit advantage throughout the second half, outscoring the Bronchos 38-37 over the final 20 minutes to secure the 20-point victory.
“We were nasty defensively, especially in the first half. Our attention to detail was really good, and I am proud of how they handled adversity in the second half.”
NMU was efficient from the floor, shooting 56.6 percent (30-53) overall and an impressive 53.8 percent (14-26) from beyond the arc. The Wildcats also controlled the glass, 31-24, and showcased their unselfish offensive approach with a commanding 20-5 advantage in assists.
Five Wildcats finished in double figures, led by Brooks Hinson with 22 points on 6-9 shooting from three-point range. Kyle Olagbegi added 13 points and seven rebounds, while George Bellevue and Isaiah Allen each contributed 11 points. Pryce Gregoire rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.
“My teammates were getting me good looks. I found myself open, and I was knocking them down,” Hinson said.
How it Happened
Northern came out firing to open the season, setting the tone on both ends of the floor with defensive pressure and an explosive offensive start.
Active hands created an early steal, leading to an Isaiah Allen three-pointer on the opening possession. Brooks Hinson followed with a triple of his own as the Wildcats raced out to a 12-4 lead just five minutes into the contest.
The Wildcats kept their foot on the gas, getting contributions from throughout the lineup. Caden Gustafson checked in and connected on the first three-pointer of his career, while Hinson continued his hot start from beyond the arc. His back-to-back triples helped force consecutive Central Oklahoma timeouts, with NMU building a 21-5 advantage just over seven minutes into the game.
Northern’s offensive surge marked a 12-0 run over a four-minute stretch, stretching the lead to 24-5. Kyle Olagbegi added to the momentum with consecutive strong finishes in the paint, while Hinson continued to connect from deep, hitting his fourth three-pointer of the half with 6:26 remaining, putting the Wildcats ahead 33-9.
Central Oklahoma found some momentum late in the half, putting together a 12-3 run to cut into the deficit. However, Hinson had the final word before the break, burying another three-pointer to give NMU a commanding 44-25 halftime advantage.
The Wildcats were highly efficient in the opening 20 minutes, shooting nearly 60 percent from the field (16-27) while holding an 18-10 edge on the glass. Hinson led all scorers with 16 points, knocking down five triples.
Pryce Gregoire opened the second half with a basket as Northern looked to carry its first-half momentum into the second. UCO attempted to make a push, trimming the Wildcat advantage to 48-36 by the first media timeout, as NMU was whistled for the first seven fouls of the half. Despite the Bronchos’ efforts to work their way back into the contest, NMU had an answer each time.
The Wildcats responded in a big way from beyond the arc, with George Bellevue and Gregoire each connecting from deep to restore a comfortable double-digit advantage. Bellevue then took over from three-point range, knocking down back-to-back triples. The surge pushed the lead back to 72-48 with 8:26 remaining.
With the lead in hand, Northern Michigan held off any late push from Central Oklahoma to close out a convincing 20-point victory, opening the season in impressive fashion.
Up Next
Northern returns to action on Halloween night, taking on the Harding Bisons at 8:15 p.m. CT (9:15 p.m. ET).
