Northern Michigan University’s Jacy Weisbrod, left, drives past a Wisconsin-Parkside defender during their GLIAC women’s game played at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — It took a stirring comeback to achieve, but the Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team is now 8-0 for the first time since the 1998-99 season, when those Wildcats began 16-0 and finished 28-4 and reached the NCAA Division II tournament.

Following a 72-67 victory over visiting Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday, NMU is also one of just 14 teams among 290 in NCAA Division II to have an unblemished record this season, and one of just three in the Midwest joining fellow GLIAC member Grand Valley State along with McKendree (Illinois).

Jacy Weisbrod led Northern’s comeback on Saturday from a 12-point deficit midway through the third quarter. She scored 16 of her game-high 22 points in the second half.

She made 3 of 6 on 3-pointers while pulling down four rebounds and not committing a turnover in 30 minutes court time.

Teammate Alyssa Nimz added 13 points, four assists, two blocked shots and a game-high eight rebounds in just 18 minutes, while Mackenzie Holzwart came off the bench to score 10 points, including 4 of 4 free throws, and a game-high five assists to go with three rebounds.

Lillie Peterson led Parkside with 14 points, including 5 of 5 free throws.

After they defeated Michigan Tech in overtime in Houghton on Thursday, the Rangers were ready to battle with another Upper Peninsula rival on Saturday afternoon.

NMU had several one-possession leads in the early going, with Parkside answering with leads in the second half of the opening period, including 12-11 at the end of the quarter.

Except for a brief 18-second stretch early, the Rangers also led throughout the second quarter, though settling for just a 31-30 edge at halftime. NMU’s quick lead was 16-15 with 7:39 left in the second following a Kayla Tierney triple.

Parkside attempted to put its stamp on the game over the first 5 1/2 minutes of the third quarter, steadily increasing its lead until it reached 46-34 with 4:42 left on a Peighton Nelson jump shot. After a couple traded baskets, the Rangers still led 48-37 with 3:25 left in the third.

But that’s when Northern went into lockdown mode on defense. The Wildcats didn’t allow another point the rest of the quarter, only trailing 48-47 at the end of the period, and continued the shutout for the first 2:02 of the fourth to build a 54-48 lead.

Parkside kept it at a five-point lead or less for another four minutes until NMU started pulling away. Weisbrod hit a jumper, two free throws and then a 3-pointer as part of Northern’s 9-0 run that made it 68-56 with 1:41 to go.

They kept a lead of at least five points the rest of the way.

The Wildcats have a pair of nonconference games on the road to finish the 2024 part of their schedule, going to downstate Midland to face Northwood at 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20, then heading south to Ohio to face Ashland at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 22.

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