Northern Michigan University’s Sydney Whitehouse takes a shot during a GLIAC Tournament women’s semifinal game played against Ferris State at the Grand Valley State gym in Allendale on Saturday. (Photo courtesy NMU)

ALLENDALE — The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team and its fans were waiting on pins and needles late Sunday night (about 10:30 p.m.) for word on whether the Wildcats would qualify for the NCAA Division II tournament after Northern bowed out of the GLIAC Tournament in Saturday afternoon’s semifinals.

Tourney No. 2 seed NMU lost 73-66 to No. 3 Ferris State at the Grand Valley State gym, putting their NCAA hopes in jeopardy.

The loss came after the Wildcats dominated the Bulldogs during the regular season, winning by 30 and 27 points in their regular-season matchups.

In the postseason, however, Ferris (21-10 after this game) used a big 28-point fourth quarter to erase a 51-45 deficit at the end of the third.

Sydney Whitehouse came off the bench to lead Northern with 18 points, making 8 of 11 shots, including 1 of 3 on 3-pointers, adding in three rebounds in just 19 minutes court time.

Starter Alyssa Nimz had 15 points, hitting both her triple tries, and blocked two shots, while Abi Fraaza also came off the bench for 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, two blocked shots and no turnovers in 24 minutes.

Leading scorer Jacy Weisbrod was limited to just four points — and three attempted shots — despite starting and playing 25 minutes.

Mya Hiram scored 15 points to lead five Bulldogs scoring in double figures as she also pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.

After a couple early lead changes, NMU took control in the first quarter, building three leads of 10 points, the first 19-9 with 3:20 left after a CJ Romero 3-pointer.

Settling for a 23-15 lead at the end of the opening quarter, Northern’s lead shrunk to nothing when FSU tied it 23-23 with 6:52 left in the second after an Elle Irwin jumper.

But NMU didn’t fall behind and managed to hold a 38-35 halftime lead. Ferris tied it again in the first minute of the third, 38-38 following an Irwin triple, but again, Northern never fell behind during the quarter.

Leading 51-45 entering the final period, the Wildcats upped it to eight, 53-45, after a Nimz jumper 1:05 into the fourth.

But the Bulldogs immediately responded with an 8-0 run to again tie it 53-53 with 5:10 left. NMU regained the lead for a couple minutes before Ferris went ahead for the first time since the early going, 58-57, with 3:12 left following a Kenzie Bowers layup.

Northern got the lead back one final time, 59-58 with 2:57 remaining, on a Mackenzie Holzwart layup.

Though they tied the score twice, that would be NMU’s final lead. That was because the Bulldogs shut out Northern until the final buzzer when Nimz hit a 3-pointer to keep the final margin out of double digits.

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