Northern Michigan University’s CJ Romero, left, makes a move to get off a pass around Ferris State’s Mia Riley during their GLIAC women’s basketball game played at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team has found the perfect time to put together another winning streak this season, just as tournament time approaches.

Winners of five straight, the Wildcats have their biggest rival on deck today on the road. NMU travels to Houghton to take on Michigan Tech at 5:30 p.m.

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_WBBall 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 women’s basketball schedule for links to live video, live audio, live statistics, a copy of the weekend program and team’s histories.

Northern opened the season with eight straight victories, but hadn’t won more than two in a row since until the past five games that began with an 80-41 home win over Davenport on Feb. 1.

Last week, the Wildcats won a pair of laughers at home, taking down Lake Superior State 67-44 and Ferris State 75-48 to take over second place in the GLIAC alone at 12-4, 18-6 overall.

National No. 1 Grand Valley State slipped to third in those national rankings this week after suffering its first conference loss, a 79-77 setback at Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday. That result was more bad news than good for NMU, as GVSU can’t really be caught at 15-1 in the league, while Parkside remained within a game of the Wildcats — along with Ferris — each at 11-5.

“It’s just going up there, taking care of business, doing what we do, and keeping it the Northern way,” Northern head coach Casey Thousand said of today’s game at MTU in an NMU Sports Information news release previewing the game.

Negaunee High School product Alyssa Hill led the Wildcats in last week’s blowouts with 19 points vs. Ferris and 14 against LSSU.

Northern ranks in the top 50 in the country in several categories — 18th with 29.4 defensive rebounds a game, 30th fewest with 14.5 fouls a game, 33rd with a 1.04 assist-to-turnover ratio, 36th fewest with 57.4 opponent points per game and 46th fewest with 14.2 turnovers a contest.

Jacy Weisbrod, who was named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week last week, is ninth in GLIAC scoring at 13.4 ppg. She’s still the leading and best 3-points shooter, making 2.75 a game to rank 14th nationally, with her 38.2% rate also leading the league.

Sarah Newcomer at 8.9 ppg is second among NMU scorers, while Alyssa Nimz is third at 8.5 ppg and 10th in the league with 6.7 rebounds an outing.

The Huskies are in seventh place in the GLIAC at a modest 10-14 overall and 7-9 in conference games.

They’re 7-6 at home with senior guard Isabella Lenz leading the way, averaging 14.3 ppg as she make 1.8 triples a game.

Freshman Kendall Standfest (11.9 ppg) and Janie Tormanen (11.1 ppg) also average in double figures.

Sam Clayton is in her seventh season as head coach of the Huskies. Northern is 54-56 all-time vs. the Tech. After ending a 14-game losing streak last season in Houghton, the Wildcats are looking to establish a winning streak of their own after a 68-64 win earlier this season 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.