Northern Michigan University’s Sydney Whitehouse, center, drives to the basket during a GLIAC women’s game played against Davenport at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Feb. 1. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

DETROIT — The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team pulled out a hotly contested 66-61 victory over Wayne State to move into a tie for second place in the GLIAC on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats moved up a spot in the standings after former second-place Ferris State lost to league-leading Grand Valley State 78-57 the same afternoon.

GVSU has a chokehold on the league as the nation’s No. 1 team at 24-1 overall and 14-0 in the league.

The Wildcats are making the case as the best alternative to the elite Lakers at 16-6 overall and 10-4 in the conference as all the top teams in the GLIAC have six games remaining on their league schedules.

Saturday’s win was also important as NMU had been tied with Wayne State and has now left the Warriors in a tie for fourth at 9-5, 14-8 overall.

Northern’s win came after there were a dozen ties and 10 lead changes, according to a game account from NMU Sports Information.

While WSU only had the lead for less than 30 seconds in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats never opened a advantage of more than six points in that period, spending most of it with only a one-possession edge.

In fact, neither team had a lead of more than six points throughout the contest.

Abi Fraaza came off the bench to lead Northern in scoring with a season-high 15 points despite playing just 19 minutes. She was able to do that by making 6 of 9 shots from the field, adding in three free throws, five rebounds and no turnovers.

Jacy Weisbrod added 12 points to the winning cause, including one 3-pointer, as she also had three assists.

Teammates Alyssa Nimz and Mackenzie Holzwart had 10 points apiece, Nimz making a team-high six rebounds, going 6 of 6 on free throws and adding in two blocked shots and two assists.

Holzwart hit a triple, made four rebounds while adding four assists and two steals.

Alyssa Leister paced the Warriors with 12 points, while teammate Shea Tripp added a big 16 rebounds to go with nine points.

NMU led throughout the first quarter, including a 6-0 start after Weisbrod, Fraaza and Negaunee High School graduate Alyssa Hill hit shots in the first 3 1/2 minutes. But Wayne State had a late flourish to end the quarter tied 17-17.

The second quarter was a one-possession game for every second, the lead changing hands six times with five ties included as the hosts took a narrow 31-30 advantage at intermission.

While the Warriors had the lead for most of the third — again, almost entirely as a one-possession score — the Wildcats hit a pair of baskets in the final 92 seconds to turn a 48-46 deficit into a 50-48 lead as the quarter ended.

Northern was finally able to take some control — at least enough to usually have the lead — in the fourth, building its lead up to 61-55 with 2:47 to go on a Newcomer free throw.

Though WSU would score the next six points to retie it again, NMU pounced for the game’s final five points over the last 54 seconds as Fraaza made a layup, Sydney Whitehouse two free throws and Holzwart one charity toss.

Northern plays its final regular-season home games this week at Vandament Arena, hosting last-place Lake Superior State at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and the team the Wildcats are tied with, Ferris, at 1 p.m. Saturday.

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.