Ferris State Closes Upper Peninsula Trip With Setback At NMU

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's basketball squad fell to Northern Michigan 95-66 on Monday night (Jan. 12) at Vandament Arena in Marquette.

FSU struggled to match NMU's dominance in the paint, scoring only 16 points compared to the opponent's 52 total inside the lane.

The game opened with Ferris State taking an early lead through sharp shooting from beyond the arc, as Chang Hoth and Brandon Claerbaut each hit 3-pointers within the first two minutes. Despite this strong start, FSU faced defensive challenges, particularly in the paint, where Northern Michigan capitalized with 26 points. Ferris State was competitive, maintaining ties and leads six times each, but they were unable to sustain momentum against the Wildcats' efficient shooting, which resulted in a 52-37 deficit at the end of the first half.

The Bulldogs faced a challenging second half as they struggled to keep pace with Northern Michigan's offensive momentum. Despite efforts from Mykel Bingham and Joey Cabana, FSU was unable to close the gap, with Bingham scoring a jumper at 15:49 and Cabana adding a jumper at 4:38. Northern Michigan maintained control, highlighted by a series of successful layups and a strong bench contribution, outscoring the Bulldogs 43–29 in the half.

Hoth led the scoring effort for FSU with 16 points, including four 3-pointers. Bingham contributed with 12 points and collected six rebounds. Bryce Moore added 11 points, converting 3 of 4 free throws. Cabana matched Bingham on the boards, finishing with six rebounds in the game.

Isaiah Allen led Northern Michigan with 20 points, shooting 9-for-13 from the field and securing six rebounds. Dylan Kuehl contributed significantly with a team-high 23 points, making 10 of 13 shots, and added two blocks. Charlie Miller was successful from beyond the arc, hitting four of his five 3-point attempts, totaling 12 points, and collecting two steals. Bennett Basich was efficient, scoring 10 points on perfect shooting from the field, while also grabbing seven rebounds and tallying one block.

The Bulldogs fell to 6-7 overall and 3-3 in conference play with the setback while NMU improved to 14-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play.

Ferris State will return home to begin a six-game homestand starting on Saturday, Jan. 17, versus Davenport. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. (ET) inside Jim Wink Arena.