North Michigan News

Northern Michigan University's men's basketball team is set to conclude a four-game home series with upcoming matches against Wayne State University and Saginaw Valley State University. The Wildcats, holding an 11-3 overall record and a 5-1 conference standing, will face the Wayne State Warriors on January 16 at 7:30 p.m. Following this, they will compete against the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals on January 18 at 3 p.m.

The games are accessible for viewing via the FloSports app, and radio coverage will be provided by Casey Ford on 100.3 The Point.

Coach Matt Majkrzak expressed his aspirations for the team: "I am hoping to get momentum going again and hoping we can play incredibly hard, be tough, and play the right way that we have shown."

The Wildcats recently achieved a victory over Roosevelt with a score of 77-55. Their defense has been pivotal this season, allowing just 65.6 points per game, ranking them nationally at 18th in this category. They also lead their league in turnover margin with a rate of 2.43.

Key players include Dylan Kuehl, who averages 15.6 points per game and surpassed the milestone of 1,000 career points earlier this season. Julien Smith follows closely behind with an average of 12.2 points per game.

Wayne State enters Marquette with a balanced record of seven wins and seven losses overall as well as within their conference play. The Warriors have shown strength in shooting accuracy but have struggled on the road.

Saginaw Valley State's Cardinals currently stand at six wins against eight losses overall and have faced challenges during away games. They are led offensively by senior guards Toodles Seal and Freddie McIntosh.

In historical context, NMU narrowly leads its series against Wayne State while seeking to even its record against Saginaw Valley State in their upcoming matchups.

The Wildcats' recent preseason exhibition included hosting Michigan State in what was described as one of the most notable events in program history.