Northern Michigan University’s Derek Merwick, center, drives the lane but would pass the ball during a GLIAC men’s basketball game played against Davenport at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Feb. 1. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — Just when it didn’t seem like there could be any more important games for the Northern Michigan University men’s basketball team to play, along comes a pair of nationally ranked opponents as the Wildcats finish their regular-season home schedule this week.

The Wildcats, tied for third place in the GLIAC and just one game out of first place, host league coleader and national No. 15 Lake Superior State at 7:30 p.m. today, then fellow third-place team and No. 20 Ferris State at 3 p.m. Saturday, both at Vandament Arena.

Fans can watch both games online at the FloSports app or listen on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point. Or follow @NMU_MensBBALL and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates leading up to and during games, or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the men’s basketball schedule for links to live video, live statistics, live statistics, ticket information, and a preview, the program and team histories.

Northern can also hope their opponents are a bit distracted, as those opponents also travel to play at the other league coleader, Michigan Tech, on the opposite days this week.

“We have to get in the mindset that if we are happy with our four-game winning streak, it’s going to end really sad for us (tonight),” NMU head coach Matt Majkrzak said about his team’s current winning string. “We have to be at a different level of anger and aggression that we haven’t seen in awhile.”

Northern sits at 16-6 overall and 10-4 in the GLIAC, tied with Ferris, which is 20-5 and 10-4. LSSU and MTU are both 11-3 in the conference, the Lakers 20-4 overall and Tech 16-6 in all games.

Just to put a little pressure on from below, Wisconsin-Parkside is just one game behind NMU and Ferris at 9-5, while Grand Valley State is two back at 8-6.

The Wildcats got into this position by sweeping a pair of road games last week, winning at Saginaw Valley State 82-68 and Wayne State 66-61.

A change in the starting lineup four games ago certainly hasn’t hurt NMU. Over their last four games, Northern has held an average lead of 4.8 points at the first media timeout, a stark difference from a 7.8-point deficit at the first media stoppage in the four games prior.

Playing a key role has been redshirt junior Jackson Dudek, who is averaging 15.8 points per game, shooting 27 of 35 (77.1%), to go along with 7.3 rebounds per game since entering the starting lineup on Jan. 30 against GVSU.

Dudek’s frontcourt teammate Dylan Kuehl is 11th in conference scoring at 15.1 points per game. The two-time GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week has scored in double figures in 21 of 22 games. In conference games only, he is also 11th at 15.6 ppg, fifth in field goal percentage at 48.5% and sixth in rebounding at 6.6 a game.

Julien Smith is second for NMU scoring at 11.8 ppg. He scored in double figures in each of his first five games, but then only reached that mark in three of the next nine before returning to early season form lately, scoring 10-plus in five of the last seven.

Defense continues to be an NMU bedrock. With its offense only seventh of 11 teams in the conference at 73.5 ppg, the scoring defense ranks second at 66.5 ppg, also good for a top-20 mark nationally.

The Lakers, 4-3 away from home, lost to Grand Valley 71-68 last week before downing Davenport 79-58.

LSSU averages 79.8 ppg and allows a league-low 66.2, and have shot over 40% in 18 games, going 16-2 in them. Its plus-13.6 ppg margin also leads the league and is ninth nationally. The Lakers are also top 10 in the country with a 1.62 assist-to-turnover ratio and 10.4 triples made a game.

Senior guard Tyson Edmondson leads Lake State scorers at 16.1 ppg, seventh in the GLIAC.

Northern holds a 70-47 advantage in the all-time series dating back to the 1947-48 season, though NMU lost at LSSU earlier this season, 79-49.

Last week, Ferris dropped Davenport 67-56 before losing at GVSU 94-62 as the Bulldogs are 6-4 on the road.

FSU averages a league-high 84.1 ppg while giving up 70.8 for a plus-13.4 scoring margin, 12th in the nation. The Bulldogs are also 11th in field goal defense at 39.8% and sixth in defensive rebounds with 29.4 each time out.

Ethan Erickson is fourth in conference scoring at 16.8 ppg while leading the league by making 91.0% on free throws.

The Wildcats hold a slim 76-72 all-time series lead over the Bulldogs. FSU has won the last two, a 81-65 win in last year’s NCAA Tournament and a narrow 85-79 victory in January in Big Rapids.

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.