This story was written by NMU Sports Infromation.

Click the thumbnails to see RRN photos and videos from the game. Click the AUDIO buttons to hear Brian Parzych player spotlight interview, and for Coach Matt Majkerzak post-game comments.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Northern Michigan University men's basketball team saw their season come to an end on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Michigan Tech Huskies 87-72 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. 
 

The Wildcats battled all game long, but a hot start from Tech in each half was the difference. NMU was led by Dylan Kuehl with 20 points and nine rebounds. Brian Parzych added 13 while Cal Klesmit chipped in another 10 off the bench. Parzych and Klesmit combined for 20 points over a 10-minute stretch in the second half to keep the Wildcats in it. Tech's Marcus Tomashek and Pete Calcaterra each scored 22. 

Northern shot 26-60 (43.3%) from the field and had one of its best outings from beyond the arc, going 10-21 (47.6%), which included a 7-12 (58.3%) showing in the second half. The Huskies were 31-61 (50.8%) with a strong 16-26 (61.5%) effort in the second half.

NMU led in rebounds 38-31 but committed six more turnovers (9-3) and did not record a steal for the first time this season. The Huskies cashed in a 16-1 scoring advantage in points off turnovers.

Nonetheless, it was still a stellar season for the Green and Gold who finished at 22-10. It was the third straight season reaching the 20-win plateau and also the third consecutive campaign in which they hoisted a GLIAC championship trophy (regular season or tournament).  
 

GLIAC Tournament MVP Jackson Dudek opened the scoring with a driving layup and Sam Privet added a three, but Tech's Tomashek hit three triples in the opening five minutes as the Huskies led 9-5. 

Parzych came in off the bench and provided a spark with another triple for the 'Cats, but Michigan Tech stayed hot, hitting five of their first eight triple attempts and broke out on a 9-0 run to lead 23-12 at 10:30. 

The 'Cats clapped back with eight straight of their own, with Kuehl fueling the run with seven to cut the deficit to 31-26. Tech was scoreless for over four minutes during the run, but quickly answered with eight straight of their own in less than a minute to lead 39-26. They'd hit another three for the final points of the half to lead 42-29 at the break. 

NMU shot just 10-28 (35.7%) in the half to MTU's 15-35 (42.9%) that included a 8-16 (50.0%) mark from three. 

Northern's starting frontcourt of Kuehl, Dudek, and Privet combined for 20 of NMU's 29 first half points. 
 

Kuehl started hot out of the halftime break, knocking down a pair of threes to make it a nine-point game at 44-35. The Huskies answered that with an 11-1 run and held the largest lead of the game at 55-36 with 15 minutes remaining. 

Klesmit came in off the bench and ended the run with a three. He provided the spark the 'Cats needed to keep them in it, scoring all 10 of his points in less than six minutes as the 'Cats kept chipping away.

Parzych and Biggie Luster also connected from deep and NMU started 7-10 from beyond the arc in the half, but a 13-17 start from the field for Tech over the first 13 minutes made it hard to fully get back in it. 

The Green and Gold kept at it and a Parzych layup cut it down to eight at 76-68 with 4:19 left. It wasn't meant to be, however, as Tech scored the next seven and NMU didn't hit a field goal again until the final shot with a second left from Michael McNabb.