Kuhn Drops 30 As 'Cats Earn GLIAC-Opening Win

Story writen by NMU Sports Information. Click the AUDIO button to hear RRN's Casey Ford talk with Coach Casey Thousand. (NMU Photo)

MARQUETTE, Mich. - Three Wildcats scored season-highs on Thursday in the PEIF Gym, as Makaylee Kuhn led the way with 30, Mackenzie Holzwart added 17, and Kayla Tierney chipped in 14 to lead the Northern Michigan women's basketball team to a 81-66 victory over Wayne State to open GLIAC play.

Kuhn recorded a 30-point, 11-rebound double-double to once again lead the Green and Gold. She shot 11-19 (57.9%) from the floor. Holzwart stuffed the stat sheet, recording 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. She also shot well, going 8-14 (57.1%). Tierney had the hot-hand from downtown, going 4-6 for 14 points.

NMU shot 31-60 (51.7%) while Wayne was a cool 22-64 (34.4%). The 'Cats dominated the glass with a 42-28 margin, with a 34-21 clearance on the defensive end.

The Green and Gold nearly led wire-to-wire, holding the edge for 97.1% of the contest. With the victory, the 'Cats improve to 5-3 on the season with a 1-0 conference record. Wayne State drops to 6-2 overall and 0-1 in the GLIAC.

The 'Cats held on to a solid lead for the majority of the first ten minutes, as the team went on a 9-0 run less than two minutes in. WSU answered with a 14-2 run and briefly led 16-15. NMU scored the last four of the quarter to lead 19-16, but it wasn't without foul trouble, as they had seven fouls in the quarter to just one from Wayne. Kuhn and Holzwart led the 'Cats with eight points each.

Despite opening the second quarter with a slim margin of three points, the 'Cats were able to increase it as they approached halftime. Jacy Weisbrod kickstarted a 9-2 run to back up by double figures. A few jumpers and layups by Tierney, Holzwart, and Kuhn put NMU ahead 14 over halfway through the frame. With a minute left in the first half and the shot clock ticking down, Tierney went with her last resort and threw the ball from beyond the arc, adding three points to the scoreboard. The Wildcats went into the break with a 17-point lead at 42-25. Kuhn, Holzwart, and Tierney combined for 34 on 15-20 shooting.

The lead for the 'Cats bled into the second half through an abundance of buckets by Kuhn, Braelyn Torres, and Holzwart even as their cushion started to run thin. WSU's Shea Tripp hit three triples and scored the teams first 11 points of the half to close the gap to 49-43 with just under four minutes on the third quarter clock. WSU was 6-9 from deep in the third,but the last six of the quarter went to the 'Cats as they led 60-49 with 10 minutes left. Kuhn accumulated 19 of those points and Holzwart was close behind with 15 of her own.

Kuhn continued to shine throughout the fourth quarter as she made two buckets, a triple, and a pair of points behind the charity stripe for 11 of her 30 points in the final stanza. With two minutes remaining in the game, Sarah Newcomer and Kayla Tierney both put the pedal to the medal and netted triples.. Stout defense and gritty play down the stretch propelled the Wildcats to a 81-66 victory over the Warriors.