Northern Michigan University’s Jacy Weisbrod sinks a 3-pointer during a GLIAC women’s game played against Wisconsin-Parkside at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Dec. 7. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — The women’s and men’s basketball teams of Northern Michigan University play divergent schedules for the final time this season over this weekend as the Wildcat women have a pair of nonconference games on the road.

After that, the NMU men and women play doubleheaders against GLIAC opponents right until the end of the regular season on March 1.

This weekend, the Northern women head south to face a pair of former conference foes, playing in Midland against Northwood at 3 p.m. today, then traveling to Ohio to play at Ashland at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Their next games after that are on Jan. 2 and 4 on the road, while their next home game is Thursday, Jan. 9, against Michigan Tech in Vandament Arena.

The undefeated Wildcats, now 8-0 for the first time since the 1998-99 season when that team started 16-0, are ranked No. 22 in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association NCAA Division II poll and No. 13 in the Division II College Sports Communicators rankings. In the WBCA poll, fellow GLIAC member Grand Valley State (11-0) is No. 1 and Ferris State (7-2) No. 19.

By the way, Sunday’s opponent Ashland (9-3) is one spot ahead of the Wildcats at No. 21 in the WBCA rankings.

Both games will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point, while fans can also follow @NMU_WBBall and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the games, or fans can also visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the women’s basketball schedule for links to live video, live audio, live statistics, game previews and series histories.

Northern is one of three GLIAC teams at 2-0, joining Grand Valley and Ferris with that distinction, and is ranked No. 2 in the Midwest in the D2CSC rankings.

The Wildcats are also one of 10 remaining undefeated teams among 290 in Division II and rank quite highly in several national statistics — second with 32.1 defensive rebounds per game, 11th with a 1.21 assist-to-turnover ratio, 27th with 42.9 total rebounds per game, 30th with a 34.8% field goal percentage and 33rd with a plus-8.3 rebounding margin per game.

Individually, NMU’s Jacy Weisbrod is fourth in GLIAC scoring at 15.4 points per game, scoring in double figures and making multiple 3-pointers in all but one game. Her 3.1 triples per game leads the league and is 13th in the nation.

Teammate Sarah Newcomer is second on the team in scoring at 11.0 ppg, ranking her tied for 19th in the GLIAC, while her 3.5 assists per game is tied for fourth and her 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio ties her for second.

On the glass, the Wildcats’ Alyssa Nimz is fifth in the conference at 7.8 rebounds per game, while Alyssa Hill is 13th at 6.0 a contest.

Head coach Casey Thousand still has a ways to go to reach her surname in wins at 45-23 (.662 winning percentage) in her third year at the NMU helm. Last year, Northern was 22-10 and made the NCAA Division II tourney for the first time since 2019. The Wildcats opened those nationals with a win over Kentucky Wesleyan to make the round of 32.

Today’s opponent, Northwood, is only 2-9, but has a signature 69-58 win over Sunday’s NMU opponent, nationally ranked Ashland. Since that big win, the Timberwolves have lost two straight, and they’re also 2-1 at home this season. They score 66.1 ppg and shoot 38.4% from the field.

Northwood averages 4.1 blocked shots and 10.9 steals per game, both top 50 nationally, as Maeve St. John averages 3.4 steals a game, 15th nationally, and Lea Holmes blocks 2.3 shots a game, 12th in the country.

St. John leads NU in scoring at 16.5 ppg, with Holmes at 14.8 ppg and Maddie Voelker at 12.4 ppg.

NMU is 51-24 all-time vs. Northwood, their first meeting in the 1981-82 season. Northern won their last meeting, 68-43 last season in Marquette, when Weisbrod scored 17 points and Newcomer 10.

Ashland has won three straight and is 4-0 at home. They’ve been a perennial power in Division II, especially when the Eagles were in the GLIAC. Last season, Ashland made the NCAA D-II Final four and won it all in 2022-23 with a 37-0 record.

AU ranks eighth in the country allowing 50.6 ppg, fifth with 18.7 assists per game, 14th with 46.1% field goal shooting and 22nd with a 1.12 assist-to-turnover ratio.

With seven players averaging more than five points per game, Zoe Miller leads the way at 12.5 ppg, with Hayley Smith at 11.7 ppg. Smith leads the Eagles with 10.8 rebounds per game, also ranking in the top 10 in Division II.

In 37 meetings, the Wildcats are 17-20, the Eagles owning the series of late, winning 14 of the past 15. NMU fell 71-60 last year in Marquette.

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