Northern Michigan University’s Sam Privet reaches high for this shot during a GLIAC Tournament men’s basketball quarterfinal round game played against Grand Valley State at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — Hot as a weather forecaster predicting a foot of snow that day, the Northern Michigan University men’s basketball team poured in the points for an 85-72 victory over visiting Grand Valley State in an opening-round quarterfinal of the GLIAC Tournament at Vandament Arena on Wednesday night.

While the Wildcats’ defense limited the Lakers to just 23 first-half points, NMU (20-9) shot nearly 60% from the field and almost 50% on 3-pointers overall in the game to more than make up for a paltry 41% at the free-throw line.

Jackson Dudek put up 17 points to lead five Northern players scoring in double digits. He hit 3 of 5 on 3-pointers and 7 of 9 overall from the floor while adding in five rebounds, four assists and no turnovers in 34 minutes court time.

Teammate Brian Parzych came off the bench to add 14 points, hitting 4 of 5 triples and 5 of 6 overall from the field, along with two steals and a game-high five assists.

NMU’s Julien Smith scored 13 points with a 3, while the Wildcats’ Sam Privet and Gerald Gittens Jr. each had 11 points, both making a 3 as Privet grabbed five rebounds and blocked two shots and Gittens dished out three assists.

Northern survived a cool scoring day from leading scorer Dylan Kuehl, who still managed seven points on just 1-of-3 shooting from the field, though he did make 4 of 6 free throws, adding in four rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.

Grand Valley’s Kaden Brown led all scorers with 23 points as Trevon Gunter had 16.

The Wildcats made 59% from the field (30 of 51) and 48% on 3s (13 of 27) even while only sinking 12 of 29 free throws.

Northern got off to a fast start and never trailed, going up 6-0 in the game’s first three minutes after Privet made a triple and 2-point jump shot and Kuehl hit a free throw.

NMU got to its first double-digit lead at 19-8 with 12:24 left in the first half following a Dudek layup, then upped that to as many as 21 points two times later in the first half, the initial time at 35-14 with 3:27 to go on a Biggie Luster layup.

Settling for a 40-23 halftime lead, the Wildcats worked their advantage back over 20 points for about four minutes in the middle of the second half, their biggest lead at 60-36 with 12:26 left after a Parzych 3.

But Grand Valley (16-13) had one final push left in it, going on a 16-5 run over the next four minutes to cut its deficit to 13 points, 65-52, with 8:28 to go after a Gunter triple.

While the Lakers twice more got the deficit back to 13, including at the final buzzer, they never got closer than that the rest of the way.

This matchup was the most even one in the first round, NMU the No. 4 seed with a 13-7 GLIAC record and GVSU at No. 5 at 12-8.

Now the Wildcats have the tough task of facing the GLIAC tourney’s semifinal and finals host on Saturday afternoon. Northern plays at Houghton vs. No. 1 tourney seed Michigan Tech at noon Saturday in one semifinal, to be followed by the other semi pitting No. 2 Lake Superior State vs. No. 3 Ferris State at 2:30 p.m.

Saturday’s winners return at 2 p.m. Sunday for the tournament championship game with the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II tournament on the line.

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.