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NMU Basketball Playoff Run Ends In GLIAC Finals
 This story was written by NMU Sports Information. Click the AUDIO button to hear Max Bjorklund player spotlight interview. HOUGHTON, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University Men's Basketball team fell in the GLIAC Championship game on Sunday to Davenport by a score of 100-67, finishing their season at 18-12. NMU did not receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, as those pairings were announced late Sunday night. Michigan Tech was also left out of the field. Davenport's Jarrin Randall scored 28 points in the game.
Jairus Stevens of Davenport scored the game's first four points before Max Bjorklund sank a jumper in the paint to get NMU on the board. Brian Parzych came up with a swipe on defense and took it coast-to-coast for a layup. The Panthers came out clicking, erupting the flow of the Wildcats offense and finding open shots on offense. DU led 11-4 at the first media timeout. The 'Cats grabbed two offensive rebounds and John Kerr found a cutting Justin Kuehl to make it 11-6 coming out of the timeout. Jarrin Randall and the Panthers kept rolling early, as he hit a step-back three to make it 16-6. Carson Smith had the answer next trip down the floor for the Green and Gold. Smith then converted on an up-and-under to cut the deficit to five with 14 minutes to go in the half. It continued to click for Davenport early, as they doubled up the 'Cats 22-11 with 12 minutes to play. Tre Harvey entered off the bench, and found a lane with a trailing defender. Harvey converted the and-one to make it 22-14. Davenport stayed hot from the field, starting 4-6 from downtown to make it 28-14. Parzych found John Kerr down low for a score off the window. Parzych then connected from downtown the next trip down the hardwood to get it back to ten at 29-19. Nick Wagner made it seven straight for NMU, resulting in a Davenport timeout. The 'Cats climbed back to a 29-22 deficit. Luke Maranka halted NMU's run, getting back-to-back hoops to stretch their lead to 34-22. Carson Smith maintained his smooth shooting stroke from downtown, leading the way with eight points. The Davenport defense was all over Max Bjorklund, but he found some space and converted on an and-one jumper from the free-throw line. It was 36-28 Davenport with five minutes left in the half. Justin Kuehl found open space beyond the arc and connected for his first triple of the afternoon. That ended a 5-0 run by DU, as the 'Cats trailed 41-31. The Panthers led 44-32 at halftime. They led the entirety of the half. |
