Northern Michigan University’s Gerald Gittens Jr., left center, goes up for a layup against Wayne State’s Rob Lee Jr. during their GLIAC men’s basketball game played at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Thursday. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University men’s basketball team has watched a number of opposition players become the high scorer in their games while NMU put together a balanced scoring attack.

But the Wildcats couldn’t come up with an answer for Wayne State’s Rob Lee Jr. on Thursday night at Vandament Arena and it cost them in an 82-67 loss.

Lee didn’t just lead all scorers — he more than doubled anyone else’s total as he pumped in 40 points in a most efficient way. He not only made 12 of 18 from the field, but 6 of 8 on 3-pointers and a perfect 10 of 10 free throws. He added five rebounds and a pair of assists.

He got a “Robin”-like assist from teammate Carlos Paul III with 18 points and six rebounds.

Both were more than any Northern player scored as Gerald Gittens Jr. came off the bench to put in 17 points, hitting 7 of 8 free throws, along with grabbing four rebounds.

NMU’s Dylan Kuehl added 16 points, hitting 6 of 8 free throws and leading the team with nine rebounds, while Cal Klesmit joined Gittens in coming off the bench as he scored 11 points. Klesmit didn’t even try a free throw, though, instead making a trio of triples.

The loss dropped the Wildcats into fourth place in the GLIAC at 5-2, 11-4 overall, as their previous second-place shareholders, Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State, both won Thursday. Those two other Upper Peninsula teams are now a game ahead of Northern, as is former leader alone Ferris State, which was upset by Wisconsin-Parkside 78-66 on Thursday.

Those results meant that the Wildcats would’ve become part of a four-way logjam at the top of the conference — if they would have won Thursday.

Instead, Wayne State moved within a game of NMU in the standings at 4-3, 8-7 overall, with Lee leading the Warriors’ blistering shooting attack. They made more than half their shots from the field — 26 of 49 for 53% — and were even better on 3s, hitting 12 of 20 for 60% there. And they were a solid 78% on free throws, making 18 of 23.

NMU was a more pedestrian 43% from the field (23 of 54) and a fairly typical 25% on 3s (5 of 20), while keeping up with their opponents at the line, making 16 of 22 free throws (73%).

But the visitors put their stamp on this game right from the outset. Despite Northern’s Brian Parzych scoring the first point of the game on a free throw with just 12 seconds elapsed, WSU quickly built a lead that reached double digits, 15-5, barely more than four minutes in.

Those 15 points were all on 3-pointers, including a trio of them by Lee.

Wayne State kept the scoring pressure on, extending its advantage to 25-10 less than three minutes later. At that point, the Warriors had tried seven triples — and made every one of them.

Then the Wildcats began to battle back, scoring 13 straight points in less than 2 1/2 minutes to pull within 25-23 with 8:34 remaining in the first half. The spurt included a triple by Klesmit and “traditional” three-point plays by Kuehl and Gittens — a basket and ensuing free throw. Gittens also had a regular ol’ layup and a jumper in that stretch.

But as quickly as the Warriors gave away their lead, they took it right back. Right as the Wildcats pulled within a single possession, WSU ripped off 12 consecutive points to re-establish a comfortable 37-23 edge in less than three minutes. Lee and Paul accounted for all those points, and only one of those baskets was a triple.

The final half-dozen points were by the Warriors, too, giving them a nearly insurmountable 48-29 advantage at intermission.

While Wayne State briefly built a 20-plus-point lead in the second half, Northern kept its deficit mostly in the teens, getting as close as nine points twice, both times off Klesmit baskets and the last time 74-65 with 1:54 to go.

NMU completes its current four-game homestand by hosting Saginaw Valley State at 3 p.m. today at Vandament Arena. While the Cardinals are only 2-5 in the GLIAC and 6-9 overall, they extended Tech in Houghton on Thursday before falling 68-66.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release previewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.