Northern Michigan University’s Dylan Kuehl, left, gets around Wayne State defender Jotham Nweke during their GLIAC men’s basketball game played at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Jan. 24. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

CALEDONIA — With the top of the men’s basketball standings in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ever changing, the one constant is the team from Northern Michigan University.

The Wildcats held onto their share of first place with a 77-63 victory over Davenport on Saturday afternoon.

Last week began with NMU tied with Michigan Tech atop the league, then on Thursday with Northern and Tech losing, the pair stayed tied for first place but with a new “partner” — Grand Valley State.

Then on Saturday, GVSU knocked off the Huskies 55-46, so the new teams atop the league are the Wildcats and Grand Valley, each at 10-2, NMU holding a 19-3 overall record and the Lakers at 17-3.

Tech is a game back at 9-3 and 18-4 with Ferris next at 6-4 and 9-8. No other league team has a winning GLIAC record, next being Davenport and Wayne State at 6-6.

All of this is happening as Northern featured balanced scoring in its Saturday win in suburban Grand Rapids vs. the Panthers (12-8 overall).

Regular leading scorer Dylan Kuehl returned to his “throne,” leading the Wildcats with 18 points even as he was 0 of 4 on 3-pointers. But he did make 8 of 13 free throws, adding in nine rebounds, sharing the game high with teammate Sam Privet, and four assists.

Teammate Jackson Dudek contributed 15 points, making both his triple tries and 6-of-7 shooting overall, while pulling down seven rebounds and not committing a turnover in 23 minutes court time.

NMU’s Brooks Hinson added 11 points as he made three 3s, while Privet finished with 10 points.

The Wildcats’ Cal Klesmit only had six points, all on a pair of triples, but he led all assist makers with seven.

Davenport’s Ken Walker led all scorers with 24 points, hitting three 3s.

Northern’s biggest statistical advantage came in rebounding with a 44-28 edge.

The 10th lead change — in the first half alone — was the most important for NMU, which gave it a 39-38 lead with 1:03 left on a tip-in by Privet. After Kuehl’s dunk with three seconds remaining, the Wildcats held a 41-38 advantage at halftime.

It’s a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, even as DU pulled within a single score as late as the game’s final 3 1/2 minutes.

Northern pulled out to a nine-point lead twice before that, the final time at 58-49 with 9:27 left on a Privet layup.

The Panthers then made a final effort to get back in it, getting within two points a couple of times, the last one at 63-61 with 3:49 to go after Walker completed a “traditional” three-point play with a basket and free throw.

But the Wildcats also had a streak left in them, finishing the game on a 14-2 run that included another Kuehl dunk and triples by Hinson and Klesmit.

NMU hosts a pair of teams this week who are fighting to stay in the upcoming eight-team GLIAC Tournament in early March — Saginaw Valley State and Lake Superior State are tied for seventh at 5-7.

The Wildcats face SVSU at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Vandament Arena, then LSSU comes to town at 3 p.m. Saturday.

NMU 77, Davenport 63

Saturday at Grand Rapids

Summary (field goals, free throws, total points)

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Kuehl 5-8-18, Dudek 6-1-15, Klesmit 2-0-6, Basich 2-2-6, Hinson 4-0-11, Privet 4-2-10, Allen 2-2-7, Polite 1-2-4. Totals 26-17-77.

DAVENPORT — Walker 9-3-24, Jackson 5-1-12, Smith 2-4-8, Moon 2-2-6, Deen 0-2-2, Hinkle 2-0-6, Ritt 2-0-5. Totals 22-12-63.

Halftime score: NMU 41-38

FG shooting: NMU 26 of 54 (48.1 percent), Davenport 22 of 52 (42.3 percent); 3-point shooting: NMU 8 of 23 (34.8 percent), Davenport 7 of 20 (35 percent); FT shooting: NMU 17 of 27 (63.0 percent), Davenport 12 of 23 (52.2 percent); Rebounding, NMU 44 (Dylan Kuehl and Sam Privet 9 each), Davenport 28 (Curtis Jackson 6); Assists, NMU 16 (Cal Klesmit 7), Davenport 16 (Jackson 6); Steals, NMU 3 (3 players with 1 each), Davenport 2 (Jackson and Dylan Smith 1 each); Turnovers, NMU 7, Davenport 6.

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.