ALLENDALE – Despite having star guard Naba Echols back in the lineup, the Northern Michigan University men’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a large halftime deficit Thursday night and lost 83-63 at Grand Valley State.

Down by 21 at the break, Northern (4-9, 2-7 GLIAC) made a brief run at the start of the second half.

Kenny Williams led the Wildcats with a career-high 18 points, while Echols had 14 points and five assists and Isaiah Johnson 10 points. Jordan Perez was held to just one points though he pulled down a team-high six rebounds.

A triple by Marcus Hall tied the game at 7-7 four minutes in. The Wildcats had a one-point advantage, 12-11, with 13:37 remaining, but that would prove to be their last lead. GVSU went on an eight-point run to go up by 11 points and move its lead to 44-23 by halftime.

Echols had a four-point play to cap off a 6-0 NMU run early in the second half to get the Wildcats within 50-33, but the Lakers (12-3, 6-3 GLIAC) just wouldn’t be stopped.

Northern plays at Ferris State Saturday before returning home to face Saginaw Valley State on Thursday.