The Wildcats followed up an 11-point victory over Saginaw Valley State on Thursday with a 76-49 win over visiting Lake Superior State on Saturday afternoon.

But the big news in the league was Wayne State upsetting national No. 1 and previously undefeated Grand Valley State 78-77, also Saturday.

WSU remained tied with NMU for third place at 11-3 in the league, but both teams are now just two games behind still league-leading Grand Valley, which fell to 13-1 in the GLIAC and 21-1 overall.

Wayne State’s Jaci Turbergen hit a pair of free throws with three seconds left for the final margin in the game played in Detroit.

Northern Michigan University’s Sarah Newcomer, right, drives the lane during a GLIAC game played against Purdue Northwest at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Jan. 22. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Northern, the No. 14 team in the country, improved to 20-4 overall as the Wildcats and Warriors still trail Ferris State (11-2 GLIAC) by a loss for second place.

There were no dramatics in NMU’s game vs. LSSU, with the Wildcats racing out to a 10-point lead after one quarter and 16-point edge at halftime.

Against the Lakers, Sarah Newcomer continued her torrid shooting pace, making 7 of 11 on 3-pointers and 8 of 13 overall for a game-high 25 points. She’s made 16 triples over the past three games.

Teammate Sydney Whitehouse added 15 points, while Jacy Weisbrod, who recently broke Northern’s career record for 3-pointers, added 13 points as she added another three 3s to her record.

Among that trio, Newcomer also pulled down four rebounds and made two steals, Weisbrod grabbed six rebounds and made four assists, while Whitehouse grabbed eight rebounds.

Negaunee product Alyssa Hill rounded out NMU’s double-digit scoring with 12 points as she also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

Grace Bradford paced the Lakers (5-17, 2-12 GLIAC) with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Though Lake State led throughout almost all of the first five minutes, CJ Romero hit a triple with 3:55 left in the first quarter to give the Wildcats a 12-10 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

In fact, Romero’s bucket came early in a 13-0 NMU run that helped produce Northern’s 26-16 advantage at the end of the opening period.

The Lakers twice pulled within seven points in the second quarter, the final time at 28-21 with 3:47 left, but the Wildcats finished the first half on a 13-4 run to build a 41-25 lead at intermission.

NMU kept a lead of at least 14 points in the third quarter and at least 20 points in the fourth.

With the new look in the GLIAC with Grand Valley suddenly seeming vulnerable, the Wildcats travel to Detroit to take on giant-killing Wayne State at 5:30 p.m. Thursday before heading to northern Indiana to face last-place Purdue Northwest at 2 p.m. EST Saturday.

NMU 76, LSSU 49

Saturday at Vandament Arena

Summary (field goals, free throws, total points)

LAKE SUPERIOR STATE — G. Bradford 6-2-15, Conzelmann 4-0-11, Capaldi 4-2-10, Matthew 4-0-8, Thelen 1-0-3, Baney 1-0-2. Totals 20-4-49.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Newcomer 8-2-25, Weisbrod 5-0-13, Hill 5-2-12, Pytleski 3-0-8, Romero 1-0-3, Whitehouse 6-2-15. Totals 28-6-76.

Score by quarters:

Lake Superior State 16 9 15

Northern Michigan 26 15 20 15 — 76

FG shooting: Lake Superior State 20 of 51 (39.2 percent), NMU 28 of 74 (37.8 percent); 3-point shooting: Lake Superior State 5 of 19 (26.3 percent), NMU 14 of 35 (40 percent); FT shooting: Lake Superior State 4 of 10 (40 percent), NMU 6 of 8 (75 percent); Rebounding, Lake Superior State 34 (Grace Bradford 10), NMU 48 (Alyssa Hill 12); Assists, Lake Superior State 7 (G. Bradford 4), NMU 17 (Jacy Weisbrod and CJ Romero 4 each); Steals, Lake Superior State 4 (Clare Conzelmann 2), NMU 10 (Romero 3); Turnovers, Lake Superior State 18, NMU 9.

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.