MARQUETTE, Mich. -- Arch rivals Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan battled for 60 minutes and through four overtimes before the host Wildcats finally prevailed, 81-76, in the longest game in Tech's men's basketball history. The regular season finale for both teams was tied at 46 after regulation and both squads had chances to win during the first three overtimes. The Wildcats claimed the victory by outscoring the Huskies, 9-4, in the fourth extra session.

NMU's Jake Suardini made a free throw with eight seconds left in regulation to give his team a 46-44 lead. On the other end, Josh Makela was fouled with 1.6 seconds left and made both free throws to send the game into overtime.

Northern held the lead through most of the first overtime until Robby Springborn's layup with 41 seconds left. Tim Strom added one-of-two foul shots with 12 ticks remaining for a 53-51 advantage. The Wildcat's David Noel answered with a layup and was fouled, but he missed a potential game-winning free throw. After a long three-pointer by Radayl Richardson, Ed Ross had a look at a layup to win it for MTU. It missed and the teams plodded into a second five-minute OT tied at 53.

Michigan Tech had two separate four-point leads in the second overtime including a 61-57 edge with 1:13 showing on the clock. The Wildcats closed the gap to one before two Springborn free throws with 10 seconds to go put the Huskies on top, 63-60. Ricky Volcy drained a three-pointer for NMU with four seconds left to tie the game again. Springborn then went the length of the floor for a layup attempt at the buzzer, but it too fell off no good.

Three straight Richardson free throws put Tech up, 72-70, with 33 seconds left in the third OT. The Wildcats tried a three-pointer to win the game and missed, but Marco Volcy scored a layup off an offensive rebound and was fouled. His potential game-winning free throw was off the mark, but another offensive board gave Suardini a layup at the buzzer. He missed and a fourth OT was forthcoming with the score knotted at 72.

Suardini's three-pointer set the tone for the 'Cats in the fourth extra period. Ricky Volcy sandwiched four more points around a Joe DeMartin free throw and the hosts had the largest lead by either team in the game at 79-73 with 2:11 to play. Richardson halved the margin with a three-pointer with 1:45 to go. Richardson had two more chances to tie the game, the last coming with eight seconds to go, but his long-range attempt was off the mark. NMU rebounded and Suardini finally iced the nearly three-hour game at the line with two makes.

Richardson finished with 32 points -- one shy of his career high. He also had seven rebounds and three steals in 56 minutes of action. Springborn was the only other Husky in double figures with 16 points. Tim Strom added seven points and a team-high 11 rebounds.

Tech was outrebounded, 66-42, in the contest. The Huskies shot 36 percent in the game, compared to 31 percent by Northern Michigan. MTU forced 22 turnovers and only committed 11 in 60 minutes of action.

Ricky Volcy finished with a stat line of 36 points, 22 rebounds and eight assists. He was 22-of-26 from the free throw line and helped his squad to a 30-of-42 mark at the line. MTU was 19-of-27 from the foul stripe.

Michigan Tech fell to 14-13 overall and 10-8 in the GLIAC with the loss. The Huskies will travel to play at Grand Valley State on Tuesday (Feb. 28) in a GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinal game at 8 p.m.

Notes: The score at halftime was 23-23 . . . The score was tied 21 times during the 60-minute affair -- 15 times in regulation . . . Michigan Tech has only played one other game that's gone past two overtimes -- that being a triple overtime game more than 30 years ago. MTU defeated Southwest State, 101-95, on Jan. 10, 1976.