Northern Michigan University’s Elena Alaix plays defense in a college women’s basketball game earlier this season at the Berry Events Complex in Marquette. (Photo courtesy NMU)

GRAND RAPIDS — The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team kept itself within a game of the GLIAC tournament field with a 54-43 win at Davenport on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats are 4-10 in league games and ninth in the GLIAC standings with eight teams qualifying for the postseason tournament. NMU is one game behind eighth-place Purdue Northwest, which is 5-11, and a game and a half ahead of 10th place Lake Superior State at 2-11. Davenport resides in 11th and last place at 1-15, 2-22 overall.

NMU (9-12) shot about 10 percent better than the Panthers — 19 of 45 for 42 percent compared to 16 of 50 for Davenport and 32 percent — and pulled down 10 more rebounds, 37-27.

Makaylee Kuhn held her accustomed position of leading Northern scorers with 13 points, but got some help unlike Thursday’s loss to Grand Valley when she scored more than half the Wildcats’ points.

Teammate Elena Alaix added 11 points, making 4 of 5 from the field and 3 of 4 on free throws, while Emily Mueller scored 10.

Mueller also led all rebounders with eight as Alaix had six and Mueller had three assists. Kuhn also had a game-high four steals.

Lillee Gustafson paced DU with 12 points and six rebounds.

The teams traded the lead several times in the first quarter with the Panthers ahead 15-13 entering the second.

NMU took control in the second quarter, opening on a 7-0 run culminated by a pair of free throws by Elizabeth Lutz with 8:11 left to put the ‘Cats up 20-15.

While NMU got its lead up to seven points several times, including 27-20 with 3:18 left on an Ana Rhude layup, Davenport chipped away at its deficit and got it down to 28-27 at halftime.

The teams traded the lead again throughout the third quarter, though Northern ended the period with a pair of Rhude free throws and Kuhn short jumper to take a 41-37 advantage to the fourth.

Though neither team scored for nearly three minutes to start the final period, NMU finally took control by starting with a 6-0 surge, ending with a pair of Alaix free throws. That made it 47-37 with 4:39 to go as the Wildcats’ lead never fell below five points again.

NMU remains on the road for a makeup game at Saginaw Valley State at 2 p.m. today before returning home for its final homestand of the season. For the women, it’ll be three games in four days, ending with its other remaining makeup game.

Northern hosts Wayne State at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, SVSU at 1 p.m. Saturday and Wisconsin-Parkside at 3 p.m. Sunday, all at the Berry Events Center in Marquette.

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