Northern Michigan University’s Alyssa Nimz, center, gets fouled while driving toward the basket during a GLIAC women’s basketball game played against Wisconsin-Parkside at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Dec. 7. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps) 

HAMMOND, Ind. — The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team has the momentum of a three-game winning streak to take into their GLIAC Tournament opening-round quarterfinal game at home on Wednesday.

That’s after NMU flew past 10th-place Purdue Northwest 81-66 in the final game of the regular season in northwestern Indiana on Saturday afternoon.

Before the game, the Wildcats had already wrapped up the No. 2 seed in the tourney, insuring they would be at home for the quarters, and if they advance, not have to play No. 1 seed and national No. 2 Grand Valley State until the championship game.

Northern could even host the semifinals and finals if somehow the high-flying Lakers were to get grounded by the final team to get into the tourney, No. 8 seed Michigan Tech.

As it is, NMU will host No. 7 Saginaw Valley State at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, the early half of a women’s-men’s doubleheader as the Wildcat men also get to host this round in their conference tourney. The Cardinals women knocked off No. 3 seed Ferris State 70-67 on Saturday to improve their position.

Northern finishes the regular season at 21-7 overall and 15-5 in the GLIAC, four games behind GVSU (19-1 GLIAC) and two games ahead of a trio of squads that tied for third with 13-7 records — No. 3 Ferris, No. 4 Wayne State and No. 5 Wisconsin-Parkside.

Purdue NW, meanwhile, missed the tourney by six games at 3-17 in league and 6-22 overall. SVSU and MTU tied for seventh, with the Cardinals winning the tiebreaker for the No. 7 seed and the right to face NMU instead of Grand Valley.

On Saturday, Jacy Weisbrod moved back into her previously accustomed position as the leading Wildcats scorer, putting in 23 points that included making 7 of 11 (64%) on 3-pointers and 7 of 13 overall from the field. She added in 2 of 2 on free throws, three rebounds and no turnovers in 27 minutes court time.

Three other NMU players also scored in double figures. Alyssa Nimz not only had 12 points, but shared game rebounding honors with eight as she made a triple. Teammates Alyssa Hill, a Negaunee High School product, and Sydney Whitehouse added 10 points apiece as Hill also had six rebounds and Whitehouse made both her 3-point attempts, pulled down five rebounds and was “caught” making two steals.

Akyia Baker topped the Pride with 18 points, hitting 4 of 4 on 3s.

While the Wildcats had a modest advantage in their shooting, they really dominated on the boards, holding a 45-28 rebounding edge. Interestingly, they had as many blocked shots as fouls — seven of each. That was half as many fouls and more than twice as many blocked shots as PNW.

NMU raced to an 11-2 lead less than 2 1/2 minutes into the game as Weisbrod hit three 3-pointers in that short span and Hill added a layup.

With Northern leading 17-10 after one quarter, the Pride tied the score 21-21 with 4:33 left in the first half following a Cherrelle Newsom trey.

But the Wildcats found their touch again, taking a 31-25 advantage at halftime as Weisbrod hit two more triples in those final minutes of the half.

Northern really went wild in the third quarter, however, outscoring their entire first half with 33 points to take a 64-47 edge entering the final period. In the third, four NMU players combined to make 6 of 8 on 3s, including a pair made by both Weisbrod and Whitehouse.

With NMU’s lead never falling below 13 points in the fourth, the Wildcats hit their high-water mark of 20, 75-55, with 3:47 left after CJ Romero made a layup.

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.