MARQUETTE – Junior point guard Bre Gaspervich scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Northern Michigan University women to a 59-49 victory over Ferris State in college basketball action Saturday.

Gaspervich, who made six 3-pointers in nine attempts, scored eight points in each of the first, third and fourth quarters as the Wildcats improved to 10-13 overall and 9-8 in the GLIAC’s North Division. Ferris slipped to 4-19 and 4-13.

The Wildcats moved back into a three-way tie with Northwood and Findlay for the final two spots in the league’s postseason tournament with five games to go.

That group will probably duke it out to the end for the spots, since every other team in the GLIAC is at least three games ahead or three games behind them.

Over the past three games, Gaspervich is averaging 20.3 points and shooting 55.6 percent from the 3-point line.

Gaspervich, the smallest Wildcat at 5-foot-5, was also big on the boards Saturday as she pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds to go with three steals.

Teammate Taylor Hodell added nine points and Kendall Martenet eight points and six rebounds.

Northern grabbed a 15-12 lead after one quarter and added at least two points to the advantage each quarter.

Gaspervich hit a quick triple to begin the game but the Wildcats still fell behind about halfway through the opening quarter before rallying.

Ferris tied it 15-15 early in the second before Northern took control again to go up 28-23 at halftime.

The Bulldogs had one more rally in them during the first five minutes of the second half and took a 33-30 lead when Alexis Bush completed a three-point play with 5:53 to go in the third.

Then Gaspervich hit a triple and two layups, one followed by a free throw for a three-point play, that put the Wildcats back in control at 43-36 entering the fourth.

Ferris got as close as three points early in the final period before NMU pulled away down the stretch.

The Wildcats hit the road this week for games at Saginaw Valley State on Thursday evening and at Hillsdale on Saturday afternoon.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.