NMU men return to Dells for 2 games this weekend
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MARQUETTE -- After winning just once in three games there two weeks ago, the Northern Michigan University men's basketball team gets another try with a pair of games at the JustaGame Fieldhouse in central Wisconsin this weekend.
The Wildcats travel to Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, to take on Missouri-St. Louis at 2 p.m. EST Friday before facing Winona State (Minnesota) at 2 p.m. EST Saturday.
It's part of an interesting season-opening stretch for NMU, which all told plays its first seven games at the neutral-site venue. The final two in the Dells are the following weekend, Nov. 20-21, vs. Minnesota-based St. Cloud State and Minnesota State-Mankato.
Both of this weekend's games will be broadcast on the radio, Friday's on WUPT 100.3 FM The Point and Saturday's on WUPZ 94.9 FM The Bay, while they'll also be streamed online on the Justagame Fieldhouse website.
Fans can follow @NMU_MensBBall on Instagram and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates leading up to and during games, or visit Northern's athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the men's basketball schedule for links to live statistics and a preview.
"I am pleased with our off week," Northern head coach Keil Ganz said in an NMU Sports Information news release previewing this weekend's games. "We tried to tweak some things here and there, and I am proud of how the guys have responded.
"Both of our opponents are pretty talented teams that return some talented players. It will start with defending, rebounding and taking care of the basketball."
The Wildcats' previous Halloween weekend was part of the Division 2 Conference Commissioner's Association Midwest Tip-Off Challenge, with an opening 82-62 win over Central Oklahoma followed by setbacks of 75-59 to Harding (Arkansas) and 72-69 to Lincoln Memorial (Tennessee).
In the victory, Northern set the tone from the outset to build a 19-point halftime lead. The Wildcats shot 57% from the field that included 54% on 3-pointers for the game. Five players scored in double figures, led by Brooks Hinson with 22 points, much of it by making six triples. Teammate Kyle Olagbegi added 13 points and seven rebounds.
Against Harding, Pryce Gregoire led NMU with 13 points as Ross Robertson had 11, all in the second half, and Olagbegi 10.
Then vs. Lincoln Memorial, the Wildcats battled back from a double-digit deficit in the first half to reach halftime tied 37-37. They took the lead on several occasions in the second half before falling at the end. Olagbegi led Northern with 15 points and 11 rebounds, earning all-tournament team honors, while Hinson and Gregoire had 10 points apiece.
Northern finished the weekend shooting 46.1% from the floor.
Three of those players mentioned have scoring averages in double figures, Hinson at 13.0 points per game, Olagbegi 12.7 ppg along with 8.3 rebounds an outing, and Gregoire at 11.0 ppg.
They're coming off last season's final campaign under seven-year head coach Matt Majkrzak, who after the season took the head coach's job at NCAA Division I Northern Illinois. They finished 28-7, setting the program mark for wins, while capturing their fourth consecutive GLIAC title, which has alternated between regular season and tournament crowns, last year's a regular-season title.
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Northern Michigan University's Kyle Olagbegi, left, drives toward the basket while defended by a Bay College player in their scrimmage held at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Oct. 13. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)