North Michigan News

The Northern Michigan University (NMU) men's basketball team is set to host Grand Valley State in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Quarterfinals. The game will take place on Wednesday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m. This marks the fourth consecutive season that NMU has secured a home playoff game.

NMU concluded its regular season with a record of 19-9 overall and a conference record of 13-7. Grand Valley State enters the playoffs with an overall record of 16-12 and a conference mark of 12-8. Fans can watch the game on FloHoops or listen live on 100.3 The Point, with Casey Ford providing commentary.

Dylan Kuehl has been a standout player for NMU, leading the team by averaging 19.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game over their last three road victories against Roosevelt, Parkside, and Purdue Northwest. "The offense has been led by Kuehl all season," according to the press release, as he consistently scored in double figures throughout conference play.

Jackson Dudek and Gerald Gittens have also contributed significantly since being reinserted into the starting lineup ten games ago. Dudek averages 13.1 points per game while shooting 59.3% from the field, while Gittens averages 11.2 points per game over his last six appearances.

Defensively, NMU ranks third in scoring defense within the conference, allowing only 68.4 points per game—a top-35 national mark—and limits opponents to just 31.9 rebounds per game.

Grand Valley State arrives at this matchup after winning three consecutive games, including victories over Davenport and Roosevelt last weekend. Four Lakers average double-digit points per game: Kaden Brown (13.6), Jalen Charity (11.6), William Dunn (11.3), and Ethan Alderink (10.8). Brown leads the conference with a three-point shooting percentage of 39.9%.

Historically, NMU holds a record of 38 wins and 58 losses against Grand Valley State but emerged victorious in both meetings earlier this season—78-70 in Allendale on January 4 and again in Marquette on January 30 with a score of 79-52.

The GLIAC Tournament's quarterfinal round features four matchups hosted by higher-seeded teams across various campus sites:

1) No.1 Michigan Tech vs No.8 Roosevelt

2) No.4 Northern Michigan vs No .5 Grand Valley State

3) No .3 Ferris State vs No .6 Wayne State

4) No .2 Lake Superior State vs No .7 Parkside

Semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, March 8th; however specific hosting details remain undetermined pending results from earlier rounds leading up towards Sunday’s championship clash between winners emerging out respective semifinal encounters held priorly day before handoff moment itself comes forthwith ultimately decided upon thereafter duly noted hereinabove accordingly stated hereunto henceforth therein underlined duly recorded thereof...