BOUNCING BACK: Wildcats Shoot Past Cardinals

This story was written by NMU Sports Imformation. Click the AUDIO buttons to hear post-game comments from Dylan Kuehl, Max Weisbrod, and Coach Matt Majkrzak. Also click to hear player spotlight interview with Jackson Dudek.

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The NMU men's basketball team returned to its winning ways on Thursday in the Berry Events Center, defeating the Cardinals of Saginaw Valley State 81-64.

Max Weisbrod, Dylan Kuehl, Max Bjorklund, and Jackson Dudek all reached double figures and combined for 67 of NMU's 81. Weisbrod scored 20 to lead the way. Kuehl had an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double while Bjorklund added 17 and Dudek another dozen. Freddie McIntosh led all scorers with 26 points for SVSU.

Northern Michigan (16-6, 8-4) led for nearly 90% of the game, shooting 28-62 (45.2%) from the floor and 12-26 (46.2%) from beyond the arc. The NMU defense held the Cardinals to a cold-shooting night, as they went 26-70 (37.1%) from the field and 10-33 (30.3%) from deep.

Elsewhere on the statsheet, the 'Cats dominated the glass, cleaning up 41 rebounds to 26 for the Cardinals. NMU controlled points in the paint 30-16 and added five more assists on the night.

After Saginaw Valley jumped ahead 5-0, the 'Cats broke out on an 11-0 run behind a pair of successful three-point strokes from Max Weisbrod. Max Bjorklund capped off the run with a transition and-one, thanks to a heads up defensive play from Carson Smith.

The triples continued to rain in, with Najashi Tolefree and Sam Privet joining Weisbrod on the three-point extravaganza. The Wildcats were able to push the lead to a dozen at 23-11 with eight minutes remaining in the opening half.

That's when Freddie McIntosh led the Cardinal charge to get back into it. SVSU went on an 8-1 run to close the deficit to four. After Weisbrod hit his fourth three in as many tries to halt the run, SVSU managed nine of the next 11 to tie the game at 31 with just over a minute on the first half clock.

Weisbrod hit his fifth triple of the half to beat the shot clock with 0:25 to go as NMU went into the dressing room up 36-33. His 17 points on 5-6 shooting paced the 'Cats, while McIntosh had 19 for the Cardinals.

A Bjorklund 4-point play coming out of halftime helped set the tone for the home squad. NMU quickly jumped ahead by double digits at 46-36. The Cardinals, however, were able to wiggle it down to one possession over the next few minutes.

The sequence that changed the rest of the game came from Dylan Kuehl. With NMU ahead by a slim 55-51 lead, he disrupted a dunk attempt that would have closed it to two, and then raced down the floor and poured in a corner three for a five-point swing.

From there, the Green and Gold looked dominant. The 'Cats scored 26 of the next 32 points that saw the lead balloon to as many as 24 points. In that span, a 17-2 tear saw 11 points from Dylan Kuehl. Despite SVSU ending the game on a 7-0 run, NMU would win handily, 81-64.

Max Weisbrod poured in 20 points, 17 in the first half, to lead the 'Cat attack. It was his second-consecutive game with as many points and fifth time reaching at least 20 on the season.
Dylan Kuehl scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half. He snagged 12 rebounds to lead the category. It was his second straight double-double and fourth in his last seven outings.
Max Bjorklund scored 11 of his 17 points in the second half. He has now reached double figures in 15 of 19 contests this season. He continues to lead the GLIAC in scoring with 20.4 PPG.
SVSU's Freddie McIntosh tied his season-best with 26 points.
NMU shot 28-62 (45.2%) from the floor and 12-26 (46.2%) from beyond the arc. SVSU went 26-70 (37.1%) from the field and 10-33 (30.3%) from deep.
The 'Cats dominated the glass, cleaning up 41 rebounds to 26 for the Cardinals. NMU controlled points in the paint 30-16 and added five more assists on the night.

Northern is back in action at the Berry on Saturday, February 4. Get your coffee and donuts ready, it will be an 11 a.m. morning tipoff against the Wayne State Warriors.