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MARQUETTE — There’s a fair number of parallels between the Northern Michigan University men’s and women’s basketball teams in their entries into the NCAA Division II national tournament.

But first, there had to be quite a bit of excitement on campus about each team just making it when the brackets were revealed on Sunday night.

Even though they both come into their respective tournaments as No. 4 regional seeds, their entry was no sure thing as each had to impress an NCAA committee enough to win at-large berths.

Northern Michigan University’s Max Weisbrod, center, stretches out while driving to the basket and scoring two points beyond the fingertips of Grand Valley State defender Jalen Charity, right, during their GLIAC Tournament semifinal men’s basketball game played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

The only GLIAC teams that were assured spots were the conference tournament champions, which was Ferris State for the men and Grand Valley State for the women.

In fact, the team that defeated the Wildcats men in the tourney semifinals, Grand Valley, missed a spot in the nationals as those Lakers were only the fourth-place team in the conference during the regular season even as GVSU was tourney runner-up.

Here are some of the parallels between the Northern men and women in their tourneys:

• Both are No. 4 seeds, and with similar bracket setups between the tourneys, will play a No. 5 team in their opening game;

• Each tourney includes three GLIAC teams with Ferris the other conference school also making both men’s and women’s events;

Northern Michigan University’s Sarah Newcomer, center, gets around Wayne State's Kate McArthur, right, and drives to the lane for a shot during their GLIAC Tournament quarterfinal women’s basketball game played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

• Though their games are a day apart, each NMU squad plays their respective Midwest Region’s latest game in the opening round at 7:30 p.m., Friday for the women and Saturday for the men;

• A win in their opener will in all likelihood mean a date with the region’s No. 1 team and host in the second round.

The NMU women (21-9) open on Friday night against No. 5 seed Kentucky Wesleyan (21-9) in Allendale as GLIAC regular season and tourney champ GVSU drew the No. 1 seed and the host’s position.

The Lakers (29-2) play No. 8 Trevecca Nazarene (19-11) in the game before at 5 p.m.

Earlier games that day in Allendale involve the other half of the bracket — No. 3 Ferris State (22-5) vs. No. 6 Lewis (23-8) at noon, and No. 2 Ashland (30-1) vs. No. 7 Drury (25-6) at 2:30 p.m.

Ashland, a former member of the GLIAC, is the defending national champion, also having won the title in 2013 and 2017. And Ashland was national runner-up in 2012 and 2018.

Michigan Tech was runner-up in 2011, while Grand Valley won it all in 2006.

NMU Sports Information noted that the Wildcats were last in this tourney in 2019, when they defeated Ashland in the first round before falling to Drury in the round of 32.

Though the women’s bracket listed at www.ncaa.com doesn’t list details of subsequent games, a separate page on its website says regional tournament games will be played on March 15, 16 and 18 at campus sites, meaning GVSU will host the regional semifinal — when the Wildcats could face the host Lakers — on Saturday and the regional championship game being Monday.

The regional champions advance to the “elite eight” final three rounds set for St. Joseph, Missouri. Quarterfinals will be played one week after the regional finals are held on Monday, March 25, the semifinals on Wednesday, March 27, and championship game on Friday, March 29, which will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.

The Northern men (22-10) have a similar trek ahead of them, facing No. 5 seed Ferris State (25-7) on Saturday night in Indianapolis. The No. 1 seed and Midwest host Greyhounds (22-8) face No. 8 William Jewell (21-10) right before them at 5 p.m.

Earlier in the day comes the other half of the Midwest bracket, again in Indianapolis — No. 3 Walsh (24-5) against No. 6 Lake Superior State (21-8) at noon, then No. 2 Kentucky Wesleyan (21-8) vs. No. 7 Upper Iowa (21-9) at 2:30 p.m.

With the men’s tourney offset one day from the women’s, all regional semifinals — when NMU could face Indy — are set for Sunday and the regional championship will be played Tuesday.

The Men’s Elite Eight — the NCAA website lists that as an official name where they don’t for the women — begins the final three rounds, all scheduled for Evansville, Indiana.

The quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday, March 26.

The website notes that the national semifinals will be televised on the CBS Sports Network at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, on the CBS Sports Network, with the national title game at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, on CBS.

Ferris State won this title in 2018, while Kentucky Wesleyan made the finals six years in a row from 1998 to 2003, winning it all in 1999 and 2001.

Just last season, the Northern men were in this tournament, defeating Hillsdale in the opening round before losing to McKendree in the round of 32.

Both teams’ tournament games will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point, and further information can also be found on the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com, with a look at each team’s schedule revealing links to a tournament page and history, along with live statistics, video and audio during games.

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