Northern Michigan University’s Jackson Dudek, left, drives the lane for a layup during a GLIAC men’s basketball game played against Ferris State at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — The gauntlet of nationally ranked teams continues for the Northern Michigan University men’s basketball team.

The Wildcats travel to Houghton to face GLIAC leader and No. 22 Michigan Tech at 7:30 p.m. today. This follows on the heels of NMU falling at home to No. 15 Lake Superior State 80-74 in overtime last Thursday and also losing to No. 20 Ferris State at home 91-84 on Saturday.

Northern is on the outside looking in, but looking in closely, at a top-four conference finish that would net it home floor in the opening-round quarterfinals of the upcoming GLIAC Tournament.

The Wildcats reside in fifth place with records of 16-8 overall and 10-6 in the league, one game behind a pair of teams in third place — Ferris and Wisconsin-Parkside. Tech leads the pack with a 13-3 conference mark, 18-6 overall, while LSSU is second at 12-4.

Today’s game will be televised on Fox-U.P. or online at FloHoops, and also available on the radio at WUPT 100.3 The Point

Fans can also follow @NMU_MensBBALL and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the game, or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the men’s basketball schedule for links to live video, live audio, live statistics, a copy of the weekend program and team’s histories.

Northern head coach Matt Majkrzak knows the importance of today’s game.

“We have to get hot, and that streak needs to start (today),” he said in an NMU Sports Information news release previewing the game. “I hope we can be within a couple points down the stretch and we’ll find out if we can pull it off.”

In last week’s home defeats to their ranked opponents, Dylan Kuehl scored 25 points vs. LSSU, then followed it up with a career-high 31 against Ferris. He is eighth in conference scoring at 16.2 points per game, having missed scoring in double figures just once all season. In GLIAC games, Kuehl is sixth in scoring at 17.1 ppg, third with 49.0% field goal shooting and fifth with 6.8 rebounds per game.

Since entering the starting lineup six games ago, Jackson Dudek is averaging 14.3 ppg, scoring in double figures in every one of them. During that stretch, he is shooting 63.2% (36 of 57) with 8.2 rebounds a game.

Gerald Gittens Jr. also re-entered the starting lineup six games ago, averaging 11.2 points, five rebounds and 2.8 assists. He is coming off of a season-high 21 points vs. Ferris, when he shot 7 of 12 from the floor.

Julien Smith (11.2 ppg) and Sam Privet (9.9 ppg) are second and third on the team in scoring.

Defense continues to be the modus operandi for Northern, allowing the third-lowest points in the league at 68.1 ppg.

MTU moved into the top 25 after beating Ferris 75-63 and LSSU 80-75 last week, also taking over the lead spot alone in the GLIAC.

The Huskies have yet to lose at home this season in 11 games, averaging 82.1 ppg while winning by an average 19.4 ppg.

Overall, the Huskies average 77.9 ppg overall and allow 69.4. The 3-point line has been a weapon for them, as their 10.0 triples per game and 38.3% on 3s are top-25 nationally.

Junior guard Marcus Tomashek leads GLIAC scorers at 23.9 ppg, better than five points a game ahead of all other players, as he also ranks sixth nationally.

Several other Huskies have stepped up throughout the season, with Pete Calcaterra, Ty Fernholz, Adam Hobson each earning GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors this season, joining Tomashek who has won it four times.

In their rivalry dating back over a century, the Wildcats hold a 139-87 all-time lead over Tech, though MTU has won the last two, 80-69 last season in Houghton and 88-65 in January in Marquette.

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