Despite playing at the cozy confines of its own Vandament Arena, NMU was held 26 points under its scoring average entering Sunday of 83.2 points per game.

In fact, the 67 points allowed matched the lowest previous total by Northern’s offense, when it lost 80-67 to Missouri-St. Louis during the first weekend of the season in mid-November.

More importantly for the Wildcats on Sunday was that they dug themselves a big hole they mostly, but never totally, got out of it before the Lakers clinched the GLIAC tourney crown.

This marked the eighth straight season the league has had a split champion with the regular-season champion not also clinching the tournament title. NMU has been part of the split for four years running, alternating the type of title each year — this season it was the regular-season crown, last season the tourney title, in 2023-24 the regular-season championship, and in 2022-23 the tourney top spot.

Northern Michigan University’s Dylan Kuehl, center, protects the ball while going between Grand Valley State’s Charles Turner, left, and Trevor Smith as Kuehl heads for the basket during the GLIAC Tournament championship men’s basketball game played at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Sunday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

With the tournament championship, Grand Valley clinched the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division II tournament. But Northern also captured an at-large spot in the big dance, considering its 27-5 record represents more wins than any other conference team — Grand Valley is now 24-6, while GLIAC regular-season co-champion Michigan Tech is 26-6. No other league team had more than 18 wins.

NMU also set a program record with its 27 victories this season, but that was probably cold comfort on Sunday.

Putting up 16 points, Dylan Kuehl was the only Northern player to score in double figures. Cal Klesmit was next with eight as Jackson Dudek and Bennett Basich each had seven as nine Wildcats in all scored.

Though Kuehl made a pair of 3-pointers, overall he made a shade under 30% of his shots, canning 5 of 17, while also hitting 4 of 5 free throws and registering game highs of eight rebounds and three assists.

Dudek grabbed five rebounds, Klesmit had three rebounds and two assists, and Basich had three rebounds.

Sunday’s combatants were relatively even in shooting, NMU holding a narrow 40% to 39% edge overall and 70% to 61% on free throws. And while the Wildcats also outrebounded their guests 42-33, they committed way more turnovers, 14-2, as GVSU had seven steals.

The Lakers’ balanced scoring — they had four players in double figures — was led by Mason Docks and Jalen Charity with 13 points apiece.

Even though Basich gave Northern a quick 3-0 lead with a triple 49 seconds in, it would prove to be the only lead the Wildcats had all game. They did tie it twice fairly early on, the last time 12-12 with 13:54 left in the first half on a Kuehl 3.

But the reservoir of offense went dry not for the last time right after that, GVSU going on a 12-2 run over the next 4 1/2 minutes to take a 24-14 advantage.

Grand Valley’s lead soared to 16 points twice before halftime, the final time 35-19 with 6:36 to go, before NMU made some inroads and got within 10, 41-31, at halftime.

The home team made it even closer in the first five minutes after resuming play, getting within 43-37 with 15:51 left following a Kuehl layup.

Then the Lakers broke loose again, or more accurately, Northern went stone cold on offense once more, not scoring for 5:40 as GVSU built a 19-point lead, 56-37, with 10:25 remaining.

The Wildcats turned the tables on Grand Valley, keeping the Lakers from scoring for an even longer stretch, 6:22, that allowed NMU to get within 56-49 with 4:22 left after a Dudek free throw.

And Northern made it a six-point game three times in the next several minutes, the final time 62-56 with 1:07 left after a Klesmit layup.

NMU head coach Matt Majkrzak’s fouling strategy at the end met with mixed success, GVSU making 3 of 6 free throws, but the Wildcats only scored a single point in the final minute on a free throw by Brooks Hinson.

Grand Valley 67, NMU 57

GLIAC Tournament final

Sunday at Vandament Arena

Summary (field goals, free throws, total points)

GRAND VALLEY STATE — Docks 5-2-13, Charity 4-5-13, Allen 5-1-12, Alderink 2-3-8, Thompson 1-3-5, Wilkerson 4-2-11, Smith 1-1-3, Turner 0-2-2. Totals 22-19-67.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Kuehl 5-4-16, Klesmit 2-4-8, Dudek 3-1-7, Basich 2-2-7, Privet 2-0-4, Polite 2-2-6, Allen 2-0-5, Miller 1-0-3, Hinson 0-1-1. Totals 19-14-57.

Halftime score: Grand Valley 41-31

FG shooting: Grand Valley 22 of 57 (38.6 percent), NMU 19 of 48 (39.6 percent); 3-point shooting: Grand Valley 4 of 14 (28.6 percent), NMU 5 of 21 (23.8 percent); FT shooting: Grand Valley 19 of 31 (61.3 percent), NMU 14 of 20 (70 percent); Rebounding, Grand Valley 33 (Shamus Thompson 7), NMU 42 (Dylan Kuehl 8); Assists, Grand Valley 5 (Ethan Alderink and Trevor Smith Jr. 2 each), NMU 10 (Kuehl 3); Steals, Grand Valley 7 (Mason Docks 3), NMU 1 (Brooks Hinson 1); Turnovers, Grand Valley 2, NMU 14.

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.