The Wildcat men’s basketball team fell to the Michigan Tech Huskies during their Monday night rivalry game.

Senior guard Terry Nash started the Wildcat team off with a head start, sinking a shot and a three-pointer in the first few minutes of the game.

The Huskies quickly built up a lead and held onto it until the end of the first half, leading 40-26 on their way to the locker rooms.

The Wildcats returned to the court in search of a comeback, scoring 24 points in the first five minutes, cutting the Husky lead to nine points.

“We had to start playing,” junior guard Marcus Hall said of the Wildcats’ attempt at a comeback. “We weren’t playing our game. We weren’t moving the ball on offense. We weren’t defending.”

Sophomore guard Jordan Perez made back-to-back three-pointers during the Wildcats’ point swell.

Even with the surge in points, the Wildcats were never able to take the lead again. The Huskies finished off the game 69-56 over the ’Cats.

Perez was the game’s highest scorer for NMU with 16 points. Hall trailed behind him with 11 points of his own.

Freshman forward Kyle Monroe for Tech scored a total of 19 points for the Huskies, while senior forward Luke Heller rebounded 11 shots.

The loss brings the Wildcats to a 6-13 overall record and 4-11 within the GLIAC.

NMU returns to the Berry Events Center at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4 in a match-up against Grand Valley State University. They continue the weekend at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6 against Ferris State University.