Wildcats Grind Past Parkside For 11th Straight Win
This story was written by NMU Sports Information
KENOSHA, Wis. - In a tightly contested back-and-forth battle on Saturday afternoon, the Northern Michigan men's basketball team outscored Parkside 38-32 in the second half en route to its 11th consecutive victory. The Wildcats used a 8-0 run late in the second half to create some separation and put the game on ice.
Max Weisbrod was once again phenomenal, leading the way with 20 points on 7-11 shooting. He also led the squad with five assists. Sam Schultz recorded a dominant 15-point, 13-rebound double-double, his seventh of the season. Colin O'Rourke led the Parkside effort with 19 points.
The teams both shot 22-53 (41.5%) from the floor. Northern made a difference on the glass, edging UWP 38-22 in total and 13-3 on offense. This led to a 14-2 margin in second chance points.
It was more than just the 11th straight win for NMU, as it also marked the first win for the Wildcats in Kenosha, where they were previously winless in four attempts. The win further creates separation between NMU and the rest of the pack in the GLIAC, as Northern stands at 8-0, Ferris trails at 5-2, followed by three teams with four wins. Overall, the 'Cats sit at 15-5.
It was a very slow-paced first half. NMU was the first team to brak double figures six minutes in, followed by the Rangers a minute later. Neither team was able to put together larger than a four-point run until Parkside went on a 7-0 spurt over five minutes to lead 23-17 with 3:31 to go in the opening half.
NMU countered with the next five, but Parkside held on for a slim 26-23 halftime advantage. The Rangers shot just 40.0% in the half while Northern was an even older 34.6%. Where offense was hard to come by, the Wildcats stayed in the game on the offensive glass, pulling down five offensive boards for a 9-0 second-chance points margin in the first 20 minutes.
Northern finally regained the lead at the 13:07 mark of the second half, leading 35-33. They would extend it to 43-38 a couple of minutes later, but Parkside responded with another 7-0 run for the lead. It was short-lived, as a Max Weisbrod triple gave NMU a 46-45 edge with 5:30 to go.
Parkside would regain the lead again at 49-47, but the Green and Gold made its move as they so often do, going on a 8-0 run with triples from Weisbrod and Brian Parzych to go up 54-49 with two minutes left.
A Nick Brown layup closed it to a two-point game with 11 seconds left, but Weisbrod was able to connect on two clutch free throws. Josiah Palmer made it a one-point game with just over five seconds left, but once again, NMU went 2-2 from the charity stripe. Parkside's three-point attempt to tie at the horn was off and the 'Cats continued their winning ways.
