It has been a tough break for the Northern Michigan University basketball team, as it won just one game of the five played, all in the GLIAC.
The Wildcats started off the weekend after finals, as the team fell to the Grand Valley State Lakers 65-59. The next day, NMU was able to pull off the win against the Ferris State Bulldogs 75-56. It was the first conference win of the season, as the ’Cats pulled away in the second half with 43 points.
After a week break, the team traveled to Ohio to play Ohio Dominican and Tiffin, losing 55-54 and 47-36 respectively. The ’Cats ended their winter break play with a game at rival Michigan Tech and falling 58-48.
NMU is last in the GLIAC for scoring offense in conference play, putting up only 56.2 ppg in six games. Only one time did the team top 70 points, which was also in their only win.
“We need to make our shots,” said guard Steffani Stoeger. “We’re not scoring and we’re going to lose games because of it.”
The team is shooting a second-to-last 36.5 percent from the floor and last from behind the arc, making only 22.6 percent of their three pointers. But transfer guard Chelsea Lyons, who is second in scoring with 11.3 ppg., believes that moving back to a more comfortable pace will help the Wildcat offense.
“We get our baskets when we play smart and under control, but we lose (the scoring) when we go too fast. You can’t go 210 mph down the court or you lose control and turn it over,” she said.
However the defense has been a bright spot for the Wildcats. Northern is allowing only 59.7 ppg in GLIAC games, good for third best in the conference behind the Huskies and Bulldogs. NMU is also leading the conference in shots allowed, as GLIAC opponents took only 296 shots.
“We’re doing everything we need to do and meeting our goals on defense,” Stoeger said. “We’re holding our opponents to a low amount of points, but we’re not holding up on the offensive end. We’re making sure we stay positive and make our shots.”
Northern Michigan has now fallen below .500 for the first time since Nov. 20, as the team has a 6-7 record and a dismal 1-5 in GLIAC play. The scheduling has turned positive for the Wildcats, as NMU will have only one more game left to play in Ohio and will have GLIAC South powerhouses Hillsdale and Ashland at home on Jan. 27 and 29. They will also play GVSU only once more and not have to play against Michigan Tech, the two nationally ranked teams of the GLIAC, for the rest of the regular season.
The first game of the new semester will be tonight in the Berry Events Center against the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals. The Cardinals are 4-8 overall and 2-6 in the GLIAC, scoring 60.1 ppg and allowing 66.7 ppg this season.
“We’ve had good success at home and we’re looking to bounce back here,” Stoeger said.
