The Michigan Tech men’s basketball team (8-9, 5-5 GLIAC) ended their six-game losing streak this past Thursday as they defeated the Wayne State Warriors (8-8, 6-5 GLIAC) 76-66 in Detroit, Michigan. The Huskies were supposed to head to Grand Rapids, Michigan this past Saturday to take on the Davenport Panthers, however, due to a virus in the school, all athletics were postponed throughout 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 Huskies started out the offense quickly, and efficiently, as they took an early 8-2 lead, forcing Wayne State to take a timeout. Wayne State made a quick basket after the timeout, after which neither team was able to make a basket for over two minutes. The Warriors were able to bounce back and take the 11-10 lead on a three-pointer. Wayne State took the 15-12 lead forcing Tech head coach Kevin Luke to take a timeout. Following the timeout, neither team could get a basket for over a minute and a half, until Wayne State banked in two shots to take the 19-12 lead.
However, Tech came charging back as they pulled within two on a three-pointer by sophomore Tommy Lucca to make it 23-21 Wayne State. A jump shot by junior Bryan Heath gave the Huskies the lead, however, the Warriors had other plans as they drained a three to retake the lead. Lucca took over for the Huskies as he scored the last five points for the Huskies of the half. However, Wayne State went into halftime up 34-30.
Junior Kyle Monroe started half number two with five straight points to give the Huskies the lead again 35-34. Wayne State made a layup, but, the Huskies answered back with a 12-3 run to give them a 47-39 lead with 14 minutes left to go. Both teams went stone cold for over two minutes until Heath knocked down a three to give the Huskies the 52-43 lead. Freshman Dawson Bilski gave the Huskies the double-digit lead on a layup to make it 54-44 Tech. The Warriors were able to pull within four, however, Monroe stopped their run, scoring a jumper.
The Warriors pulled within two as they made three free throws. Two free throws by Monroe made it a two-possession game, and the Huskies kept rolling from there as they went on to win 76-66.
Monroe led the Huskies in scoring with 34 on the night, followed by Heath who finished with 14, Lucca finished with 13, Bilski had five, sophomore Isaac Appleby finished with four, senior Dillon Gordon, Grazulis, and sophomore Ryan Shuller each had two each. Monroe also led the Huskies with eight rebounds and three steals, and Appleby had the sole block for the Huskies.
The Huskies will be back in action this next Thursday as they take on the Davenport Panthers (9-9, 3-7 GLIAC) in their makeup game which will be held in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan with tipoff projected for 2 p.m. The Panthers are coming off a loss to the Northern Michigan Wildcats 91-82 this past Monday in their makeup game from the past weekend. The Huskies will then take on arch-rival the Northern Michigan Wildcats (11-7, 8-3 GLIAC) in the SDC Wood Gym on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m. The Wildcats defeated the Huskies earlier this year in Marquette, Michigan 77-65.
