NMU Men’s hoops defeated by GVSU

Courtesy of NMU Athletics

ALLENDALE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University men’s basketball team had its two-game winning streak snapped on Thursday (Jan. 10) evening as the Wildcats fell 43-41 in a low scoring affair at Grand Valley State University. NMU is now 4-9 overall and 3-6 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Northern held a seven-point lead (36-29) with 10 minutes remaining in the second half but didn’t manage a field goal down the stretch. The Lakers finished the game on a 14-5 run. The five NMU points were all scored on free throws.

A pair of free throws by junior forward Matthew Craggs cut the GVSU lead to one with 30 seconds left. The Lakers made 1-of-2 free throws, setting up a final shot for NMU. Craggs missed the game-tying jumper with six seconds left.

Craggs finished with a game-high 15 points and was one of only two players in double figures between the two teams. He shot 5-for-9 from the field and 5-for-6 from the charity stripe. Freshmen Stephen Pelkofer and Matt Iverson combined for 12. Sophomore forward Kendall Jackson tallied seven rebounds while senior forward TJ Cameron had four assists.

NMU shot 35.5 percent (13-for-37) from the floor and 33.3 percent (5-for-15) from three-point territory.

Rob Woodson scored 11 points for the Lakers while Darius Norman and Ernijas Zeidaks added seven each. GVSU (10-3, 7-2 GLIAC) shot 41.2 percent (14-for-34) from the field and 21.4 percent (3-for-14) from beyond the arc.

Northern wraps up the two-game road trip at Ferris State on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. from Jim Wink Arena. The Bulldogs defeated Michigan Tech 74-66 on Thursday night.