By: Justice Steiner, Assistant Manager of Athletic Communications
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Davenport University men's basketball team will round-out its five-game home stint, hosting Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech. The Panthers will take on the Wildcats (17-6, 9-4 GLIAC) at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, followed by a Saturday matchup with the Huskies (7-15, 4-9 GLIAC) at 3 p.m.
Backcourt tandem Marcedus Leech Jr. and Jordan Sterling led the Panthers in last week's loss to Grand Valley State. The duo combined for 35 points and Sterling led all scorers with 19 points while grabbing five boards and registering three steals.
Leech Jr. has been a steady source of offense for DU all season, scoring in double figures in all but one game. The redshirt sophomore guard is averaging 20.1 points per game, which is tied for a GLIAC-high with Northern Michigans' Max Bjorklund.
The Panthers have been one of the best three-point shooting teams in the GLIAC, ranking third in three-point shooting percentage and 44th in the nation shooting 37.8 percent from range.
Scouting the Opponents
Northern Michigan
Series Record: NMU leads 3-10
Last Meeting: 1/21/23 - Northern Michigan defeated Davenport 89-74 in Marquette, Mich.
About the Wildcats:
Northern Michigan is currently tied with Ferris State for the No. 2 spot in the GLIAC standings. The Wildcats and Bulldogs split the season series, each winning on their home court.
Following a 6-3 start to the season, the Wildcats went on an eight-game winning streak from Dec. 9 - Jan. 14 to boost their record to 14-3. Northern Michigans' winning streak ended as Grand Valley State defeated them 82-77 in Marquette, Mich. Since the eight-game surge, NMU has cooled off, going 3-3 in its last six games. The Wildcats have thrived in the Upper Peninsula, going a near-perfect 10-1 in home games while sitting at 5-5 in road contests.
Max Bjorklund leads the Wildcats this season, averaging 20.1 points per game, which is tied for a conference high with the Panthers' Marcedus Leech Jr. The senior guard is a two-time second-team All-GLIAC honoree and was named NMU's Male Athlete of the Year for the 2021-22 season.
Redshirt freshman forward, Dylan Kuehl, shoots a GLIAC-high 60.1 percent from the floor while grabbing 6.5 rebounds per game, marking the second-highest in the conference behind Wayne State's Avery Lewis.
Michigan Tech
Series Record: MTU leads 6-5
Last Meeting: 1/19/23 - Davenport defeated Michigan Tech 90-77 in Houghton, Mich.
About the Huskies:
Michigan Tech is currently one spot ahead of the Panthers in the GLIAC rankings, tied with Purdue-Northwest at No. 8 in the conference. The Huskies lost to the Pride earlier this season 73-68, but the two teams will match up again on Thursday, Feb. 16 in Houghton Mich.
The Huskies have begun to turn things around as of late, winning their last three consecutive games. The three-game winning streak marks its longest of consecutive wins this season. MTU defeated Lake Superior State, Wayne State, and Saginaw Valley State during that span.
MTU's top-five scorers on the season are all freshmen and sophomores. The youth spans across the entire squad, only rostering two seniors. The freshman backcourt tandem of Dan Gherezgher and Marcus Tomashek lead the way offensively, each averaging just over 11 points per game.
Live Coverage:
Thursday, Feb. 9 vs Northern Michigan (7:30 PM) - Live Video (FloSports) - Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 11 vs Michigan Tech (3:00 PM) - Live Video (FloSports) - Live Stats
Up Next:
The Panthers will make their final road trip of the 2022-23 season, heading to Detroit, Mich. on Thursday, Feb. 16, to take on Wayne State at 8 p.m., followed by a battle against Saginaw Valley State in University Center, Mich. on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m.
