Northern Michigan University’s Mackenzie Holzwart makes this layup during a GLIAC women’s basketball game played against Wayne State at the PEIF Gym in Marquette on Thursday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — Makaylee Kuhn scored 30 points as she and two of her teammates all set season highs in scoring as the Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team downed Wayne State 81-66 at the PEIF Gym on Thursday in Marquette.

In the opening GLIAC game for both teams, Northern improved to 5-3 overall while WSU slipped to 6-2.

Kuhn led all scorers and also all rebounders with 11 caroms, all on the defensive glass. She also had three assists as she made 7 of 10 free throws. Teammate Mackenzie Holzwart set her season high with 17 points, as did Kayla Tierney with 14.

In addition, Holzwart dished out a game-high seven assists, pulled down eight rebounds and made a game-high three steals, while Tierney made 4 of 6 on 3-pointers and pulled in four rebounds and made two steals.

NMU’s Ana Rhude had seven rebounds to go with two points, while Jacy Weisbrod had four assists, four rebounds and eight points.

Shea Tripp paced the Warriors with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Gabi Lutchka added 20 points that included four 3-pointers.

Northern was the far superior shooting team, making 52% to just 34% for WSU and 43% on 3s compared to 34% for the visitors. NMU also held a 42-28 rebounding edge.

The Wildcats jumped out quickly, scoring the game’s first nine points in less than two minutes after Holzwart sank a pair of jumpers, Kuhn made a layup and Tierney hit a triple.

They extended the advantage to 13-2 a couple minutes later before the Warriors reeled NMU back with a 10-0 run that gave Wayne State a 16-15 lead with 2:59 left in the opening quarter after a Lutchka 3.

With Northern taking back a 19-16 advantage by the end of the quarter, the Wildcats extended it to double digits for the final four minutes of the first half, including 42-25 at halftime.

Wayne State worked it back to a two-possession game during the third quarter as Northern’s advantage shrunk to 54-49 with 1:41 remaining in the third, though the Wildcats got back on top 60-49 entering the final period.

And they kept it in double digits the entire fourth quarter to coast to the win.

NMU remains home to host another GLIAC foe, Saginaw Valley State, at 11 a.m. today back at the PEIF Gym. After that, Northern has two more games before the Christmas holidays, traveling to Illinois to play at Quincy at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Dec. 17, then returning home to host former conference foe Northwood at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 19, as the early end of a doubleheader with the Wildcats men’s team.

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