KENOSHA, Wis. — Parkside men's basketball closes the 2025-26 regular season this week with a rivalry road swing through the Upper Peninsula, beginning Thursday, Feb. 26, at No. 16 Michigan Tech at 6:30 p.m. CT inside the Student Development Complex Gymnasium in Houghton. The Rangers will then finish the regular season Saturday, Feb. 28, at No. 18 Northern Michigan at 2 p.m. CT inside the Berry Events Center in Marquette.
Parkside enters the final weekend 12-14 overall and 6-12 in GLIAC play after splitting its final home week in De Simone Arena. The Rangers dropped a 78-70 decision to Purdue Northwest on Thursday, allowing 17 second-chance points, before responding Saturday with a 77-66 Senior Day win over Wayne State. In that win, Parkside led 40-29 at halftime, shot 55 percent from the floor, and held the Warriors to 33 percent shooting.
Through 26 games, Parkside is averaging 74.0 points per game and allowing 74.6. The Rangers are shooting 43.3 percent from the field, 32.6 percent from 3-point range, and 74.9 percent at the free-throw line. Parkside's defensive pressure has produced 7.7 steals per game, while the Rangers have also been one of the league's most disciplined teams, committing 15.9 fouls per game.
Individually, Paxton Warden has been the Rangers' offensive engine, averaging 19.0 points per game while playing 33.3 minutes per night, and he enters the weekend averaging 23.5 points per game over his last four games. Luka Mateski is at 16.4 points per game and remains one of the most frequent and efficient free-throw producers in the league (178-for-201, 88.6%). Josiah Palmer is averaging 12.4 points per game while shooting 39.2 percent from three (56-for-143), and he is already at 1,569 career points. Inside, Fawaz Surakat is averaging 7.1 rebounds per game and has 50 blocks, while shooting 61.9 percent from the floor.
Thursday, Feb. 26
Parkside at No. 16 Michigan Tech
6:30 p.m. CT | SDC Gymnasium | Houghton, Mich.
Saturday, Feb. 28
Parkside at No. 18 Northern Michigan
2 p.m. CT | Berry Events Center | Marquette, Mich.
SCOUTING NO. 16 MICHIGAN TECH:
Michigan Tech enters the week 23-5 overall and 13-5 in GLIAC play. The Huskies have built one of the most consistent profiles in the league on both ends, scoring 73.6 points per game while allowing 65.1, and holding opponents to 39.4 percent shooting from the field. Michigan Tech is also a strong 3-point defensive team, limiting opponents to 30.8 percent from deep, while taking care of the ball at 11.4 turnovers per game.
Offensively, the Huskies are led by reigning GLIAC Player of the Year Marcus Tomashek, who is averaging 21.3 points per game and has scored 575 points on the season. Tomashek also leads Tech in assists (3.4 per game). Nate Abel anchors the glass at 7.3 rebounds per game, while also adding 11.2 points per contest. Tech has multiple perimeter threats, including Jesse Nagel (9.6 points per game) and Daniel Terrian, who has made 39 3-pointers while shooting 42.9 percent from deep.
The last meeting between the teams came Dec. 6 in Kenosha, when the then-12th ranked Huskies defeated Parkside 69-54. Michigan Tech shot 45.5 percent from the floor in that game and held the Rangers to 33 percent shooting, with Jesse Nagel scoring 18 points.
This is the 24th meeting between Parkside and Michigan Tech. The Huskies have won six straight in the series and hold a 17-6 all-time advantage. Michigan Tech is 7-2 against Parkside at home, including an 80-54 win in Houghton last season.
SCOUTING NO. 18 NORTHERN MICHIGAN:
Northern Michigan enters the final weekend 23-5 overall and 14-4 in the GLIAC and has already secured a top-four seed in the league tournament. The Wildcats have been one of the most complete teams in Division II this season, averaging 81.9 points per game while allowing 64.2, with a +17.8 scoring margin. Northern's efficiency shows up across the stat sheet: the Wildcats are shooting 50.6 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three (10.1 made 3s per game), and they lead the nation in ball security at 9.1 turnovers per game. Northern also controls the glass with a +10.7 rebounding margin and pulls down 40.5 rebounds per game.
Individually, Dylan Kuehl leads the Wildcats at 20.1 points per game while shooting 55.3 percent from the floor, and he also adds 6.2 rebounds per night. Cal Klesmit is the league's top 3-point shooter by percentage, hitting 43.2 percent from deep while averaging 12.7 points per game. Northern also gets steady scoring depth from the perimeter, including Mason Docks (12.5 points per game) and Trevor Smith Jr. (11.8 points per game), while Smith continues to rank among the national leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio.
The first meeting was a full-circle conference opener on Dec. 4 in Kenosha, when Northern Michigan defeated Parkside 82-78 behind Cal Klesmit's 30 points on 9-of-19 shooting with six made 3-pointers. Northern also scored 14 fast-break points in that win.
This is the 18th meeting between Parkside and Northern Michigan. The Wildcats lead the all-time series 12-5 and are 7-1 against Parkside in Marquette. Northern has won six straight in the series, with three of the last four wins coming by double figures. Parkside's lone win at the Berry Events Center came Jan. 10, 2021 (72-55).
LOOKING AHEAD:
Parkside will await the final weekend's results across the league to determine whether it earns a berth in the GLIAC Tournament, which begins March 4 with quarterfinals on campus sites.
To follow the Rangers this weekend, visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
