- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Allendale Today
By the People, for the People
NMU Women's Basketball Falls to Grand Valley in GLIAC Semifinal
Wildcats await NCAA Tournament fate after loss
Published on Mar. 7, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The No. 21 Northern Michigan women's basketball team fell to No. 2 Grand Valley State 66-38 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Semifinals on Saturday. The Wildcats battled in the first half, trailing 31-24 at the break, but were outscored 35-14 in the second half as GVSU pulled away. Northern shot just 26.7% from the field and made only 3 of 24 three-point attempts. Alyssa Hill recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Wildcats. Northern will now await its NCAA Tournament fate, with the selection show taking place on Sunday night.
Why it matters
This loss ends Northern Michigan's season in the GLIAC tournament, but the Wildcats are still hoping to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The team's performance against the highly-ranked Lakers will be closely evaluated by the NCAA selection committee as they determine the tournament field.
The details
Northern Michigan kept the game close in the first half, trailing by just 7 points at halftime. However, Grand Valley State dominated the second half, outscoring the Wildcats 35-14 to pull away for the 28-point victory. NMU struggled shooting the ball, making just 16 of 60 field goal attempts (26.7%) and only 3 of 24 three-pointers (12.5%). The Lakers controlled the glass, outrebounding Northern 46-32, and scored 40 points in the paint compared to 24 for the Wildcats.
- The GLIAC Semifinal game took place on Saturday, March 7, 2026.
- The NCAA Division II Tournament selection show will air on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 10:30pm ET.
The players
Alyssa Hill
A Northern Michigan player who recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the loss.
Sarah Newcomer
A Northern Michigan player who scored 10 points in the game.
MacKenzie Bisballe
A Grand Valley State player who led all scorers with 19 points.
What’s next
The Wildcats will learn if they make the NCAA Division Two Tournament when the selection show airs on NCAA.com on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 10:30pm ET.
The takeaway
Northern Michigan's loss to the highly-ranked Lakers in the GLIAC tournament will be closely evaluated by the NCAA selection committee as they determine the Division II Tournament field. The Wildcats' shooting struggles and inability to keep pace with Grand Valley State in the second half will be factors in whether they receive an at-large bid to continue their season.
