The Michigan Tech Huskies women’s basketball team (18-3, 12-2 GLIAC) defeated the twenty-fourth ranked Grand Valley State Lakers (18-4, 11-3 GLIAC) 68-61 and GLIAC newcomers, the Purdue Northwest Pride (3-16, 2-12 GLIAC) 64-38 this past weekend in the SDC Wood Gym. With the win over PNW, the Huskies have officially locked up one of the eight spots in the GLIAC tournament.
On Thursday, Feb. 1, MTU got things rolling early, as junior Elizabeth Kelliher converted a layup, and senior Kelli Guy knocked down a trey for the early 5-0 lead. The Laker converted two free throws for their first points of the game with seven and a half minutes remaining. However, the Huskies rolled on, as senior Lindsay Winter knocked down two threes and senior Hannah Stoll rattled home a jumper for the 13-2 lead with six minutes left in the first. The Lakers clawed back into the game, as they went on a 13-3 run to trail by only one at 16-15 MTU with two minutes remaining. A three by Stoll and a layup by Kelliher ended the first in favor of the Huskies by six, 21-15.
The Huskies started out the second quarter exactly like the first, as they started out on a 5-0 run courtesy of a three by Stoll and a layup by sophomore Baillie McGirk to give the Huskies the 26-15 lead. However, the Lakers came charging back on a 15-4 run to tie the game at 30 apiece with three and a half minutes to go in the second. The Lakers scored a couple baskets to go into halftime up 34-33.
The Huskies came out of halftime by retaking the lead on jumpers by Stoll and Guy. From there the Huskies and Lakers traded basket for basket. The Lakers took the 42-41 lead on two free throws with just under five minutes to go in the third. The Lakers from there went on a 10-0 run to take the 52-41 lead with a minute and a half to go in the third. Senior Brenna Heise broke the drought for the Huskies as she put in a layup and a three by Winter brought the Huskies to six to end the third.
Heise and Stoll converted layups to start the fourth to bring the Huskies within two, at 52-50 GVSU. Soll then banked in a three to give the Huskies the 53-52 lead with eight and a half minutes to go. A couple layups by freshman Cassidy Trotter and a three by Heise put the Huskies up 60-54 with four minutes left to force GVSU to take a timeout. The Lakers were never able to get within three for the rest of the game as the Huskies had an answer anytime the Lakers tried to do anything. Two free throws by Winter sealed the deal as the Huskies defeated the Lakers 68-61.
“It was an outstanding game tonight and I’m proud of the way we battled back,” Michigan Tech Head Coach Kim Cameron said. “Grand Valley State is a really good team and for us to step up to that challenge knowing what’s on the line was huge. We were able to change the momentum of the game due in large part to great defense. Sarah LewAllen and Cassidy Trotter made a big difference for us defensively. Sometimes that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but the game doesn’t go the way it did if it wasn’t for those two players defensively.”
The Huskies had a balanced scoring attack as Heise was the leading scorer with 16, followed closely behind by Stoll and Winter who had 15 and 14. Kelliher finished with eight, while Trotter finished with six. Guy finished with five, while McGirk and sophomore Hannah Hobson contributed two apiece. Heise completed the double-double by nabbing ten rebounds to lead the Huskies, while Winter led the Huskies with five assists. Stoll, Kelliher and McGirk each contributed a block to the win.
On Saturday, Feb. 3, no one could sink a basket for either team. The first basket came in favor of MTU, as Heise knocked down a three for the 3-0 lead. MTU continued to roll on from there. A jumper by Heise gave the Huskies the 12-1 lead with five and a half minutes to go in the first. A layup by Trotter ended the first as the Huskies led 18-5.
The second quarter saw the Huskies continue to roll on, as Kelliher converted a layup for the 20-5 lead. However, both teams went on a scoring drought for four minutes, until Winter knocked in a layup for the 22-5 lead with five and a half minutes in the second. MTU gained a 20-point lead on a layup by Heise to make it 28-8 with a minute and a half left in the second. PNW converted a layup to go into halftime with the Huskies up 34-11.
PNW came out of halftime looking to get back into the game, as they scored two quick baskets to pull within 20, at 34-15. Heise erased the four-point gain by the Pride, as she scored two quick baskets to make it 38-15 MTU with just under eight minutes left in the third. The Huskies eclipsed the 40-point mark as Trotter landed a trey to make it 41-16 MTU. The Pride banked in two free throws to make it 43-20 MTU. A layup by Heise, followed by a layup from the Pride ended the third in favor of the Huskies, 49-25.
A layup by Kelliher started the fourth quarter making it 51-25 MTU. Both teams went basket for basket for the next few minutes. However, with six minutes remaining, both teams went on a drought, as neither team could score a basket for two minutes until junior Michelle LaFave made in a layup to make it 59-35 with four and a half minutes left. Two free throws by PNW was the last scoring by both teams as the Huskies went on to win 64-38.
“This was a really important weekend for us and it was great to get a victory today,” Cameron said. “I thought we played very well defensively and that was a big positive for us in this game. Our offense wasn’t clicking as well as we would like and that happens sometimes, but we were able to rely on our defense. To hold any team to just 11 points in an entire half is something to be really proud of. I’m happy for our team and our players for being able to do that and we have to continue to get better every day.”
The Huskies were led by Heise who contributed 23 points. Trotter was the only other Husky in double digits as she put in ten points. Stoll and Kelliher each contributed eight apiece, while Hobson finished with four. Guy finished with three. Seniors Elisa Jurmu, Sarah LewAllen, LaFave and Winter each contributed two apiece. Kelliher led the Huskies with ten rebounds, while Winter and Kelliher each had four assists. Trotter had four steals, while Kelliher had four blocks.
The Huskies will be back in action Thursday, Feb. 8 as they travel to Saginaw Valley State to face the Cardinals (5-16, 5-9 GLIAC). Then they’ll travel to Northwood on Saturday, Feb. 10 to face the Timberwolves (13-7, 9-5 GLIAC). The Timberwolves are looking to maintain momentum as they swept both the Ferris State Bulldogs and the Lake Superior State Lakers this past week, while the Cardinals are looking to rebound after being swept by the Bulldogs and Lakers. The Huskies swept the Cardinals and Timberwolves in Houghton earlier this year by scores of 59-37 and 81-54.
