Northern Michigan University’s Bennett Basich works his way around Michigan Tech's Josh Terrian during their GLIAC men’s basketball game played in Houghton on Thursday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University was the last undefeated team left standing in men’s basketball in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

No more, however, as like in a game of king of the hill, Michigan Tech reached up and pulled down the Wildcats to the tune of an 84-75 victory at the Huskies’ gym on Thursday evening.

Tech, ranked No. 12 in the nation, built a 13-point halftime lead and upped it to as many as 19 points in the second half before No. 18 NMU rallied with a big 14-2 run late.

MTU’s largest lead was 53-34 with 13:30 left and was still at 18 points, 69-51, with 6:14 to go.

But the ferocious rally whittled the Wildcats’ deficit to six points, 71-65, with 2:34 remaining after Cal Klesmit finished off a traditional three-point play with a layup and free throw.

That was as close as Northern would get, even while getting as close as six points again seconds later, 74-68, when Dylan Kuehl also completed the traditional three-play the same way with 1:56 left.

The loss leaves the Wildcats tied with the Huskies atop the GLIAC, each at 4-1. And both Upper Peninsula rivals are 13-2 overall.

Their closest trailer, Ferris State (3-1 GLIAC, 6-5) was playing at MTU this afternoon and will stop in Marquette to play Northern at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

Kuehl, one of the top scorers in the GLIAC, again led NMU with 27 points, making 9 of 13 free throws even while only hitting 2 of 11 on 3-pointers.

Bennett Basich had a breakout game, scoring a career-high 20 points as he made 7 of 11 from the field, including both his triple tries, and 4 of 6 free throws in just 23 minutes court time.

Basich also grabbed five rebounds as Kuehl had four.

Teammate Jackson Dudek contributed 13 points, making a pair of 3s and 7 of 9 free throws to go with seven rebounds and no turnovers in 28 minutes.

Though he only finished with four points, Klesmit grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and made two assists.

Tech’s Marcus Tomashek, the reigning GLIAC Player of the Year, led all scorers with 35 points as he hit 5 of 10 triples and 14 of 15 free throws, adding in six rebounds and two assists.

Whether the game was called closely or it was simply physical, the officials whistled 49 fouls, 23 on NMU as Dudek and Basich fouled out and Kuehl and teammate Charlie Miller each finished with four. The Huskies’ Nate Abel and Jesse Napgezek also fouled out, though Tomashek only had two.

Each team made 24 free throws, Tech shooting 75% on 32 attempts and the Wildcats 70% on 34 tries.

Attempting to tie its program record with what would’ve been its 13th straight victory, Northern quickly fell behind by double digits, trailing 15-5 when MTU’s Matt Schmainda hit a 3 with 14:21 left in the first half.

After the deficit reached as many as 14 points, 24-10, with 10:46 remaining before halftime, NMU did rally to get it back into a single-digit deficit before finding itself down 40-27 at intermission.

Tech kept its lead in double digits for the first 16 minutes of the second half before the late run got the Wildcats back in the contest down the home stretch.

Michigan Tech 84, NMU 75

Thursday at Houghton

Summary (field goals, free throws, total points)

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Kuehl 8-9-27, Dudek 2-7-13, Miller 2-2-7, Klesmit 1-2-4, Basich 7-4-20, Allen 1-0-2, Robertson 1-0-2. Totals 22-24-75.

MICHIGAN TECH — Tomashek 8-14-35, Smith 3-3-9, Nordgaard 2-4-8, Abel 2-0-4, Terrian 1-0-3, Fernholz 4-0-11, Schmainda 2-2-8, Napgezek 1-1-3, Warren 1-0-3. Totals 24-24-84.

Halftime score: MTU 40-27

FG shooting: NMU 22 of 62 (35.5 percent), Michigan Tech 24 of 52 (46.2 percent); 3-point shooting: NMU 7 of 33 (21.2 percent), Michigan Tech 12 of 26 (46.2 percent); FT shooting: NMU 24 of 34 (70.6 percent), Michigan Tech 24 of 32 (75 percent); Rebounding, NMU 45 (Cal Klesmit 9), Michigan Tech 34 (Matt Schmainda 8); Assists, NMU 5 (Isaiah Allen 3), Michigan Tech 13 (Josh Terrian and Ty Fernholz 3 each); Steals, NMU 1 (Jackson Dudek 1), Michigan Tech 5 (Gabe Smith 3); Turnovers, NMU 9, Michigan Tech 5.

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.