Northern Michigan University’s Abi Fraaza, right, goes up for a shot and gets fouled by Grand Valley State’s Molly Anderson at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Thursday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team is still clinging to a share of third place in the GLIAC after getting handled by the nation’s No. 1 team on Thursday evening.

The Wildcats lost to Grand Valley State 74-48 to slip to 7-4 in the conference and 13-6 overall, tied with Wisconsin-Parkside and Wayne State. The Lakers lead the GLIAC at 11-0 and are 21-1 overall, while Ferris State is second at 9-2 and 15-5.

Four teams will earn home berths in the opening-round quarterfinals of the GLIAC Tournament as teams have nine conference games left to play.

NMU hosts last-place Davenport, which is actually in a three-way tie for the spot, at noon today. The Panthers are 2-9 in the GLIAC and 4-15 overall.

On Thursday, GVSU led throughout in winning its 10th straight game, including 22-10 after one quarter and 42-29 at halftime.

The Wildcats kept the visitors within range in the third quarter and still only trailed 51-38 entering the final period, when the Lakers ran away.

Abi Fraaza came off the bench to lead NMU scorers with 11 points as she hit all seven of her free throw attempts, pulled down six rebounds, had Northern’s only blocked shot and didn’t commit a turnover in 24 minutes court time.

Another player off the bench, Jacy Weisbrod, was next in scoring with eight points as she made a pair of 3-pointers and both her free throws, while starter Sarah Newcomer put in seven points, including a triple.

The Wildcats’ Alyssa Nimz led the Wildcats in rebounding with seven as she hit both her free throws and scored four points.

In fact, Northern was a perfect 13 of 13 at the free throw line with a more pedestrian 34% from the field (15 of 44) and 28% on 3-pointers (5 of 18).

Grand Valley was led by Paige Vanstee with 20 points in just 18 minutes off the bench. She was an efficient 7 of 8 from the field, including 3 of 4 on triples, and didn’t turn the ball over. Teammate Rylie Bisballe added 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Escanaba’s Nicole Kamin had 12 points for the Lakers, making 3 of 5 treys, pulling down a game-high eight rebounds and making a game-high six steals.

The Lakers’ Kathryn Schmidt hit a 3-pointer just 13 seconds in as they never trailed. NMU pulled within a single point twice soon after on a Mackenzie Holzwart jumper and CJ Romero triple, but GVSU extended its lead into double digits by the end of the first period.

Northern reduced its deficit to eight points, 22-14, after a pair of Holzwart free throws with 8:13 left in the second, and later in the quarter, still only trailed by 10, 39-29, after a Weisbrod 3 with 1:09 left before halftime.

Up 42-29 at halftime, the Lakers extended their lead to 17, 46-29, about three minutes into the second half, though NMU got it back to 10, 48-38, on a Newcomer triple with 42 seconds to go.

Nevertheless, Grand Valley had a 51-38 entering the final period and extended it to 20 points, 62-42, with 6:49 left and never led by less than that the rest of the way.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release previewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.