MARQUETTE – As far as Upper Peninsula college basketball rivalries go, tonight will be Christmas at Northern Michigan University’s Berry Events Center.

The Wildcats host Michigan Tech, starting with the women’s game at 6 p.m. and the men to follow at 8 p.m.

Both games will be televised by Fox-Upper Peninsula, Channel 11 on Charter Communications cable TV systems.

Northern’s women are in a desperate position, albeit a good one, in the race for the final few positions in the GLIAC postseason tournament.

At 8-12 overall and 7-7 in the conference, NMU is in a three-way tie for the final two spots in the eight-team tournament, not a bad position for a young team that started the season 1-3 in the GLIAC. Northwood and Findlay are also 7-7.

MTU is a tall task for the Wildcats at 13-5 overall and 11-3 in the GLIAC, good for second place but only one game ahead of three other schools.

Junior guard Bre Gaspervich leads NMU’s scorers at a 10.4-point clip, while freshman Taylor Hodell has a team-best 6.6 rebounds average while scoring at 9.5 ppg.

On the men’s side, NMU is 6-12 overall and 4-10 in league, while the Huskies are 7-11 and 6-8.

The Northern men also split on the recent road trip, losing at LSSU 65-56 before heating up in an 82-69 win at Northwood.

The Wildcats were 15 of 15 at the free throw line against NU while also shooting just over 50 percent both overall from the field and on 3-pointers.

Freshman guard Naba Echols leads NMU’s scorers with 13.7 ppg, while sophomore Jordan Perez is at 11.7. Junior Alex Mustert leads Wildcat rebounders at 5.2 per game while Perez is at 4.9.

Tech, loser of three in a row, is led by Kyle Monroe in scoring at 17.7 ppg and rebounds at 7.7.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee.