The Michigan Tech women’s basketball team (14-3, 8-2 GLIAC) traveled down to Detroit, Michigan this past Thursday to take on the Wayne State Warriors (13-4, 7-3 GLIAC). The Warriors got the best of the Huskies, who couldn’t find a rhythm on offense 50-40. The Huskies were supposed to travel to Davenport University on Saturday to take on the Panthers, however, due to a virus in the school, all athletics were postponed on the weekend. The game is going to be made up this Thursday, January 25th at Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, also due to this schedule change the game against Northern Michigan has been moved to Sunday, January 28th.
On Thursday, Jan. 18, the Warriors started the game on an 8-0 run, as the Huskies didn’t score their first points until the 5:46 mark of the first quarter when senior Lindsay Winter made a jump shot. Junior Elizabeth Kelliher made a couple baskets to pull the Huskies within two, and then senior Kelli Guy banked a three to take the 9-8 lead for the Huskies. Winter made another jump shot, and sophomore Hannah Hobson nailed a three to end the first quarter in favor of the Huskies 14-10.
The second quarter didn’t produce very many points as the Warriors got the first two points of the quarter at the 8:18 mark. Wayne State tied up the game at 14 at the 6:52 mark on a layup. Senior Hannah Stoll grabbed the first points of the quarter for the Huskies at the 5:52 mark to take the 16-14 lead. A free throw and a three by Wayne State gave them the 18-16, however, Stoll was able to tie up the game with just under a minute left, to go into halftime tied at 18 apiece.
Coming out of halftime the Huskies and Warriors traded shot for shot with neither team taking control. A three by Wayne State sparked the start of a 9-4 run as the Huskies watched the Warriors go up 31-26. Two free throws by Kelliher made it a one possession game 31-28 still in favor of the Warriors. Wayne State buried two more free throws to end quarter three up 33-28.
Wayne State continued their roll into the fourth quarter as they would take the 37-30 lead over the Huskies. However, layups by Winter and junior Michelle LaFave made it a one possession game once again at 37-34. Wayne State banked in a three, however, Kelliher responded with a layup and a free throw to keep the Huskies in the game. With less than two minutes left the Warriors buried the Huskies as they made three straight baskets and two free throws to go up by double digits 47-37. Guy drained a three, but two more free throws by the Warriors, and the Warriors were able to complete the upset over the Huskies.
The Huskies were led in points by Kelliher who was the only Husky in double digits at 11. Winter finished with eight, Guy finished with six, LaFave and Stoll each contributed four apiece, Hobson finished with three, and senior Brenna Heise and freshman Cassidy Trotter each put in two apiece. Kelliher led the Huskies in rebounds also as she pulled in 12, and she also had all seven blocks for the Huskies on the night.
“I thought both teams played really well defensively and it was unfortunate for us that we had a number of players have off nights on offense,” Michigan Tech Head Coach Kim Cameron said. “We had some open looks and I felt like we were taking good shots, but they just didn’t fall. We have to get back to work and get ready to play a good Davenport team Thursday.”
The Huskies will be in action next this Thursday, Jan. 25, as they take on the Davenport Panthers (7-10, 5-5 GLIAC) in their makeup game which will be held in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan with tip-off projected for noon. The Panthers are coming off of a loss to the Northern Michigan Wildcats 67-55 this past Monday in their makeup game from the past weekend. The Huskies will then take on arch-rival the Northern Michigan Wildcats (9-10, 5-6 GLIAC) in the SDC Wood Gym on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 1 p.m. as the Huskies look to sweep the Wildcats on the year as they defeated Northern earlier this year in Marquette 59-56.
