The NMU men’s basketball team’s season has come to an end after a loss to Michigan Tech in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The team traveled to Springfield, Ill., to face off against Tech, where they were defeated 87-72. The Wildcats’ final season record is 22-10 under head coach Matt Majkrzak.

Dylan Kuehl secured over 20 points, followed by Brian Parzych with 13 and Cal Klesmit with 10. Northern led the game in rebounds but committed more turnovers during the game.

Jackson Dudek scored the opening basket of the game, holding his title of GLIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. The combination of Kuehl, Dudek, and Sam Privet was the team behind the Wildcats’ first 20 points during the first half.

The Wildcats were unable to keep up with the Huskies’ scoring, which was steady for the majority of the game. The first few minutes of the game were close; however, the Wildcats were unable to keep up with the Huskies’ consistent scoring, which gave them a deficit. The Huskies led the at the half, with a score of 42-29.

The biggest lead of the game came right after halftime, with Michigan Tech leading 55-36. There was back-and-forth action for a lot of the game, with both teams scoring. Northern was able to score 10 points within six minutes, but that wasn’t enough to help the team secure the win.

Even with all their teamwork, the Wildcats were unable to come back from that halftime deficit and ended the game 87-72, concluding their season.

The team returned to the NCAA Tournament for the third season in a row and the third time that the team has earned either a regular-season or tournament title in the GLIAC.