Northern Michigan University’s Alyssa Hill, right, makes a move to the basket past Wisconsin-Parkside’s Kendal Zeiter for a shot during their GLIAC women’s basketball game played at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Dec. 7. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MIDLAND — Undefeated they are no longer.

The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team knew it had a challenge on its hands with a preholiday road trip south into the Lower Peninsula and Ohio.

But the real test was not expected until Sunday, when the nationally ranked No. 22 Wildcats play at the team just in front of them in the rankings, No. 21 Ashland in Ashland, Ohio.

Instead, the Wildcats were toppled two days earlier on Friday afternoon in a game against another former GLIAC member, Northwood, 68-50.

The Timberwolves were just 2-7 entering the game while the Wildcats had been 8-0, their longest undefeated streak to start a season since the 1998-99 campaign when that Northern team came out 16-0.

Ironically, this wasn’t even Northwood’s most impressive win since the T’wolves had already toppled Ashland 69-58 on its home floor on Dec. 5.

On Friday, Northwood turned NMU’s 30-25 halftime advantage into a near runaway in its favor by the start of the fourth quarter, using a 26-8 third-quarter spurt to take a 13-point lead.

Jacy Weisbrod showed big offensive heroics for the Wildcats, but she was about all they had. She scored a game-high 27 of Northern’s 50 points, making 10 of 19 from the field, including 6 of 12 behind the 3-point line.

Weisbrod has made at least three triples in all but two games this season, with her scoring average now at 16.7 points per game, second in the GLIAC.

Only one other NMU player made more than one basket — Negaunee High School product Alyssa Hill scored seven points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field, adding in a team-high eight rebounds.

Even with their good eyes for the basket, the Wildcats made just 27% from the field — 18 of 66 — while the T’wolves were sinking nearly half their shots, 47% on 23 of 49.

The shooting difference was even more stark in the second half — NMU made just 17% on 6 of 35, while Northwood hit on 54% on 14 of 26.

Northwood also sizzled at the line, sinking 18 of 19 free throws (95%) even as the visitors were just 7 of 13 there (54%).

Though NMU won the turnover battle, 18-9, the Wildcats were also significantly outrebounded, 46-34.

Two Northwood players broke the 20-point barrier as its only ones scoring in double digits — Lea Holmes had 23 points, along with a game-high 14 rebounds, while Maddie Voelker added 22 points.

The teams traded the lead in the early going before Northern jumped out to a 16-9 advantage with 1:43 left in the first quarter following a Weisbrod jumper.

Still ahead 16-14 after one quarter, NMU briefly lost the lead early in the second before re-establishing a five-point edge at halftime after Weisbrod bombed in a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left in the first half.

Then the roof caved in on the Wildcats to open the second half. The T’wolves scored the first dozen points of the third quarter, taking a 37-30 lead after Voelker hit a pair of free throws with 5:20 left.

Northern’s hemorrhaging finally stopped when the Wildcats’ CJ Romero completed a “traditional” three-point play on a fastbreak layup and free throw with 4:34 left to make it 37-33.

Nevertheless, NMU’s scoring struggled continued as it quickly fell behind by double digits, including 51-38 at the end of the third.

Northern only got as close as 12 points on two occasions early in the fourth, the final time after Madison Schroeder hit a pair of free throws with 7:53 left to cut the home team’s margin to 55-43.

The T’wolves worked their lead to as many as 19 points after that to settle for the 18-point victory.

Sunday’s game at Ashland starts at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point.

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