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Mattison can’t save Wildcats

ALLENDALE – Senior forward Chavis Mattison recorded his fourth consecutive double-double off the bench, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Northern Michigan University men’s basketball team from losing at Grand Valley State on Thursday.

The Lakers scored a 60-54 victory to break NMU’s modest two-game winning streak.

Freshman guard Jordan Perez led Northern scorers with 16 points, while Mattison added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Mattison also had three assists and two steals, while Perez and freshman forward Kenny Williams each grabbed seven rebounds.

The Wildcats slipped to 8-14 overall and 6-10 in the GLIAC North Division, while GVSU improved to 10-12 and 6-10.

Each team had the lead for about an equal amount of time in the first half, though GV led 28-23 at intermission.

Northern took a brief 32-31 lead with 15:21 to go when Marcus Hall sank a 3-pointer, but the Lakers went on a 10-0 run over the next 7 1/2 minutes to retake control.

Though the Wildcats never pulled even again, they were down just 50-49 with 1:51 left on a Perez layup.

Northern outscored GVSU 16-11 on second-chance points, though the Lakers finished with a huge advantage at the free-throw line – they made 25 of 27 to just 1 of 2 for NMU.

That more than covered the Wildcats’ advantage of making six more baskets, including a half-dozen extra 3-pointers.

Northern travels to Big Rapids to take on Ferris State to finish this week’s road trip with a 3 p.m. Saturday tip.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee.

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