Northern Michigan University’s Jordyn Schmittdiel dives to the floor trying to save the ball from going out of bounds during a GLIAC game played against Michigan Tech in Houghton on Jan. 8. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

SAULT STE. MARIE — What they lacked in long-range shooting they made up for in effort on the boards as the women’s basketball team at Northern Michigan University got back in the win column on Thursday night.

Even while shooting an anemic 18% from 3-point range, the Wildcats held a 46-29 rebounding edge to fly past Lake Superior State 80-61 in Sault Ste. Marie.

Keeping their road record this season a perfect 8-0, Northern held a scoring advantage in every quarter while building a 47-36 halftime lead.

NMU stayed within hailing distance of the top teams in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The national No. 13 Wildcats improved to 5-2 in conference and 11-3 overall, two games behind league leader Grand Valley State and one loss in back of second-place Wayne State and third-place Ferris State.

LSSU slipped to 4-11 and 1-6, one game out of the eighth and final spot in the end-of-season GLIAC Tournament.

NMU’s regular top point producer, Jacy Weisbrod, led all scorers with 21 points, hitting just 1 of 7 on 3s but 8 of 18 overall from the floor to go with a 4-for-4 night at the free-throw line. She also grabbed nine rebounds, blocked two shots and didn’t commit a turnover in 31 minutes court time.

Freshman teammate Faith Walder sparked her team coming off the bench, scoring a season-best 19 points in just 19 minutes, making 7 of 10 from the floor, including both her triple attempts, and sinking 3 of 4 free throws as she also didn’t turn the ball over.

Northern’s Sarah Newcomer pumped in 13 points, again struggling on 3s at 1 of 7 but making 6 of 12 overall from the field. She also dished out a game-high five assists and made two steals.

The Wildcats’ Jordyn Schmittdiel grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds in just 18 minutes work, also leading all players with three steals as she scored five points.

Teammate Alyssa Hill, a Negaunee High School product, pulled down six rebounds and scored four points.

Seyyane Matthew paced the Lakers with 18 points, while teammate and Gwinn High School graduate Lena Pleaugh didn’t score in two minutes court time.

The lead changed hands five times in the first quarter before NMU grabbed a 20-16 advantage at the end of the period after Walder and Addison Pytleski each made layups in the final 42 seconds to break a tie.

Northern gradually worked its way into a double-digit lead during the second, hitting that at 31-21 with 5:18 left before halftime following another Walder layup.

The Wildcats had their biggest of the first half, 47-36, just five seconds before the intermission buzzer when Newcomer bombed in a 3.

It quickly increased to 17 points, 53-36, just over three minutes into the second half after CJ Romero, Hill and Weisbrod each put in a layup.

That was NMU’s high-water mark until early in the fourth when Weisbrod made a jumper with 8:55 to go to make it 68-49.

Northern’s high-water mark came in the final minute, a 22-point lead of 80-58, after Addison Baumgart made a free throw with 31 ticks remaining as the Wildcats won their 11th straight and 23 of 24 vs. LSSU.

Up next for NMU as it continues its road trip is a visit south to play Saginaw Valley State, which is 4-11 and 2-5 in the GLIAC, at 1 p.m. today.

NMU 80, Lake Superior St. 61

Thursday at Sault Ste. Marie

Summary (field goals, free throws, total points)

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Weisbrod 8-4-21, Newcomer 6-0-13, Pytleski 4-0-8, Hill 2-0-4, Romero 1-0-2, Walder 7-3-19, Whitehouse 3-1-7, Schmittdiel 2-1-5, Baumgart 0-1-1. Totals 33-10-80.

LAKE SUPERIOR STATE — Matthew 7-2-18, Aguzzi 3-0-8, Watson 3-0-7, Bradford 3-0-6, Conzelmann 3-0-6, McLaughlin 2-1-6, Clement 1-2-4, Wilder 0-4-4, Bradford 0-2-2. Totals 22-11-61.

Score by quarters:

Northern Michigan 20 27 16 17 — 80

Lake Superior St. 16 20 13 12 — 61

FG shooting: NMU 33 of 73 (45.2 percent), Lake Superior St. 22 of 54 (40.7 percent); 3-point shooting: NMU 4 of 22 (18.2 percent), Lake Superior St. 6 of 23 (26.1 percent); FT shooting: NMU 10 of 15 (66.7 percent), Lake Superior St. 11 of 14 (78.6 percent); Rebounding, NMU 46 (Jordyn Schmittdiel 10), Lake Superior St. 29 (Grace Bradford 6); Assists, NMU 13 (Sarah Newcomer 5), Lake Superior St. 12 (Bradford 4); Steals, NMU 8 (Schmittdiel 3), Lake Superior St. 4 (4 players with 1 each); Turnovers, NMU 10, Lake Superior St. 16.

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