Northern Michigan University’s John Kerr, left, goes up against a defender as they look for a rebound during an exhibition game against Bay College played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Oct. 28. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MIDLAND — Max Bjorklund made a trio of 3-pointers and scored 19 points, but it wasn’t enough for the Northern Michigan University men’s basketball team to avert a loss in its GLIAC opener, 81-72 at Northwood on Thursday evening.

Bjorklund was 3 of 5 on triples while leading the Wildcats (3-4) in scoring as he also dished out four assists, made two steals, pulled down four rebounds and even blocked a shot.

Teammate John Kerr added 12 points while pulling down a team-high eight rebounds and making two assists as Jack Rusch added 11 points and six rebounds.

Carson Smith scored five points and made four assists in just eight minutes court time.

DeSean Munson paced the Timberwolves (3-3) with 25 points.

After NMU’s Ben Wolf scored the game’s first points with a layup 44 seconds in,

Northwood established several small leads.

Bjorklund tied the score 16-16 with 9:36 left in the first half with a jumper before the T’wolves went on an 8-0 run over the next three minutes.

Trailing 35-25 at halftime, Northern whittled it deficit to four points at 37-33 just over three minutes into the second half on a Bjorklund layup.

But a 7-0 Northwood run moved the lead back into double digits.

The closest NMU got after that was six points, the first time at 75-69 with 1:05 to go on a Sam Schultz jumper.

The Wildcats travel to Houghton to play Michigan Tech (3-2) at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

The game is scheduled to be telecast on WLUC-TV6 or Fox-U.P. and broadcast by radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.