The Wildcats travel to Detroit to face Wayne State at 5:30 p.m. after the Warriors created a buzz not only around the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but probably the national NCAA Division II landscape by knocking off previously undefeated and No. 1 Grand Valley State 78-77 on Saturday.

While that now gives NMU a fighting chance to challenge for the league title, two games back of the Lakers with GVSU at 13-1 and Northern at 11-3, it also keeps Wayne State alive in that same quest.

That’s because the Warriors are also 11-3 in the conference, and one-upping the Wildcats, have the tiebreaker with Grand Valley at least in doubt with a split of their two games.

You see, Northern lost both its encounters with the Lakers, 78-66 in Marquette on Jan. 3 and 70-47 in Allendale on Jan. 29.

Northern Michigan University’s Elsa Bachert, right, makes a “W” sign for a Wildcats win as she walks past NMU’s social media after a GLIAC women’s basketball game played against Lake Superior State at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

But it has really jumbled up the GLIAC standings, with Grand Valley one game ahead of Ferris State, which is 12-2, with the Bulldogs a game ahead of NMU and Wayne State.

No other team has fewer than six losses, that being Michigan Tech at 8-6, in the quest for a top-four position that guarantees home court in the opening-round quarterfinals of the GLIAC Tournament in early March.

After facing the Warriors this afternoon, the Wildcats travel west to Hammond, Indiana, to take on last-place Purdue Northwest (1-13 GLIAC) at 2 p.m. EST Saturday.

Both games will be streamed online on FloCollege and can also be heard on Marquette radio station WUPT 100.3 The Point.

Fans can follow @NMU_WBBall on Instagram and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates, or access the Northern athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the women’s basketball schedule for links to live video, live statistics and a preview.

The Wildcats have built a modest three-game winning streak, last week beating Saginaw Valley State 80-69 and Lake Superior State 76-49 at Vandament Arena. Neither of those opponents would currently make the eight-team GLIAC tourney field.

NMU, No. 12 in NCAA Division II in this week’s Women’s Basketball Coaches Association poll, is 20-4 overall while averaging 74.3 points per game and having a plus-13.2 scoring margin. It marks the third straight year the Wildcats have reached 20 wins under head coach Casey Thousand.

Last Thursday vs. SVSU, Jacy Weisbrod hit a trio of 3-pointers and Addison Pytleski 4 of 5 on those shots as Northern made 13 all told from long range. Weisbrod led all scorers with 19 points, Pytleski had 13 and Sydney Whitehouse added 13 as NMU built a 51-35 halftime lead.

Two days later vs. LSSU, Sarah Newcomer pumped in 7 of 11 triple attempts to lead the way with 25 points as Weisbrod again knocked down three 3s for 13 points. Whitehouse had 15 points and Negaunee High School graduate Alyssa Hill double-doubled with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Wildcats again got off to a fast start, building a 41-25 halftime lead.

Weisbrod continues to lead the nation with 3.54 triples per game, shooting 42.5% in that long-range land and 44% overall from the field as she leads the league with 17.0 ppg.

Looking at this week’s opponents, Wayne State (16-6 overall) is getting votes in this week’s WBCA poll with the No. 3 league scoring offense at 75.5 ppg and a plus-7.0 scoring margin.

Wayne State is led by McKenna Ferguson at 16.1 ppg as she shoots 44.4% on 3s and 47.7% overall.

In their previous meeting, Northern scored a 91-71 win over Wayne State at Vandament Arena on Jan. 24, blistering the nets by making 65% on triples (15 of 23) as Newcomer was 6 of 7 there with 22 points and Weisbrod 5 of 7 beyond the arc with 21 points. In addition, teammate CJ Romero dished out a career-best 11 assists that day.

Purdue Northwest (3-19 overall) got its only GLIAC win at Lake Superior State back on Jan. 2. Losing 11 in a row since, the Pride is led by Alyssa Cole at 13.8 ppg.

In their previous meeting, Northern swarmed to a 94-54 victory, Weisbrod and Whitehouse leading the way with 21 points apiece, even as Weisbrod hit six 3s and Whithouse none. Hill had another 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.

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.