Sports

Women’s basketball plays three games in first week back from break

Emma Marotz

January 23, 2025

BOUNCE BACK – After 2 tough losses at Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud St. the ‘Cats look to get back on track as they head south for the start of conference play.

Photo courtesy of NMU Athletics

The NMU women’s basketball team played three games during the first week of classes after break. The Wildcats faced Roosevelt, Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State, winning one of the three matchups. The scores were close, ending 60-56, 60-61 and 51-67. Their current record is 11-5.

The first game, a narrow victory over Roosevelt, marked the first-ever meeting between the two teams, as Roosevelt is the newest member of the GLIAC. Alyssa Nimz led the Wildcats in scoring, with 18 points, followed by Mackenzie Holzwart, who contributed 12 points. NMU prevailed in a hard-fought game, where the Wildcats led the free throw percentage. Their percentage was .833 compared to the Lakers percentage of .526.

In the second game, a nail-biter against Wayne State, NMU fell short by a single point, 60-61. The Wildcats held a lead for most of the game, including a 60-53 advantage late in the second half, but the Warriors surged in the final minutes to secure the win. Jacy Weisbrod returned to the court during this game, and she put nine points on the board, while Sarah Newcomer led the team with 14 points. NMU had a slightly better field goal percentage at .377 compared to Wayne State’s .373.

The final game of the week saw NMU fall to Saginaw Valley State 51-67. While the Wildcats led early, with Newcomer scoring the first points of the game, a series of back-to-back scores and strong defensive play from the Cardinals turned the tide. Saginaw Valley State outperformed NMU in field goal percentage, .386 to .364, and in free throw percentage, .750 compared to Northern’s .667

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The rest of the season will consist of GLIAC matchups. This weekend, NMU travels to face Ferris State (13-4) and Lake Superior State (5-11). The team is away for both games, but they will be available for streaming on Flo College.

When the Wildcats return home, they will face Grand Valley State and Davenport. The remaining games are crucial as the team aims to secure a spot in the GLIAC Tournament. Once the regular season ends, the top four seeds will have the opportunity to compete for the championship title.