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MARQUETTE — History is very likely to be made this afternoon or early this evening at the Berry Events Center during a Northern Michigan University women’s basketball game.

Senior Makaylee Kuhn is only eight points short of the Wildcats women’s basketball career scoring mark now held by Lisa Jamula, who played at NMU from 1988-91. Jamula had 1,699 points in 111 games, while Kuhn is at 1,691 in 87 games.

Considering that she leads the team in scoring — and is second in the GLIAC — at 17.0 points per game, there would seem to be a good chance that the record will fall after the start of Northern’s game against Lake Superior State at 5:30 p.m. today.

Northern Michigan University’s Makaylee Kuhn, right, drives to the basket against Northwood's Maddie Voelker during their women’s basketball game played at the PEIF Gym in Marquette on Dec. 19. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

She might do it at the free throw line, considering that she has made 83%, 58 of 70, this season there, good for fourth in the conference.

Kuhn, who is also fourth in the GLIAC in rebounding with 7.6 per game, is a three-time All-GLIAC First Team honoree and was named to this season’s conference Preseason First Team.

The Wildcats (9-4, 3-1 GLIAC) themselves hope to bounce back from a 64-47 defeat at the nation’s No. 1 team in NCAA Division II, Grand Valley State, on Saturday after they started last week’s trip two days earlier with an easy 73-47 win at Davenport.

In the game against GVSU, Northern actually jumped out to a 23-11 lead late in the first quarter before the Lakers caught them around halftime and raced past in the second half. Grand Valley is 11-1, its loss coming against the Big Ten’s Ohio State in mid-December.

Last Saturday, Kuhn had 11 points and five assists, while teammate Sarah Newcomer also had 11 points and Ana Rhude 10.

After the Wildcats host LSSU this afternoon, they entertain Ferris State at 1 p.m. Saturday, also at the BEC.

The games will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point, while fans can also follow @NMU_WBBall and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the game. Or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the women’s basketball schedule for ticket purchase information, previews, game programs, live statistics, live audio and live video.

Northern head coach Casey Thousand is readying her team for the final two months of the season that includes nothing but GLIAC games.

“Our team is excited to have their first game back in the Berry,” she said in an NMU Sports Information news release previewing the weekend. “It’s the GLIAC and nothing is going to be easy. We are excited to be back and we have to be ready to go each and every game.”

Noteworthy is the Wildcats leading the conference in fewest turnovers per game with 12.0, which is also sixth in the nation. NMU is third in the league in rebounding margin at plus-6.8 and free throw percentage at 76%.

After struggling on 3-pointers last season, making just 27%, NMU has improved that enough to now lead the GLIAC in made 3s with 105, as their percentage is up to 35%.

Newcomer is tied for the conference lead in 3s with 28 and first in shooting those long shots for those with at least three attempts per game at 44%.

As they have done traditionally, LSSU has struggled to 1-11 overall and 0-3 GLIAC records. The Lakers are 1-7 on the road, and overall shoots 35% from the field and 27% on 3s, both last in the GLIAC, and 73% on free throws, sixth in the league.

Last season, Northern won both games, 72-64 in Marquette and 50-34 in Sault Ste. Marie. Kuhn led the Wildcats by averaging 20 points in those contests as NMU has won its last six vs. Lake State.

Ferris State presents a wholly different challenge as the Bulldogs are 8-2 overall and 2-1 in the GLIAC and are ranked No. 11 in the nation. FSU averages 76.9 ppg while allowing just 59.9 ppg, the latter the second-best nationally.

Ferris also ranks 12th in the nation in scoring margin at plus-17.0 ppg, field goal percentage at 46% and rebounding margin at plus-7.5. And the Bulldogs are third nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.32.

Their balanced attack includes three players scoring in double figures and another three with at least 6 ppg, led by senior Chloe Idoni at 17.4 ppg and Mallory McCartney at 12.6 ppg and 5.5 assists a contest.

Ferris prevailed in both games vs. NMU last season, 60-54 in Marquette and 72-55 in Big Rapids. Northern’s most recent win in the series was in 2021, a game that Kuhn posted 31 points.

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