The twentieth-ranked Michigan Tech women’s basketball team (23-4, 17-3 GLIAC) wrapped up the regular season at home this past weekend as they split, losing to the Wayne State Warriors (19-7, 14-6 GLIAC) in a nail-biter Thursday 71-69 but bouncing back to dominate GLIAC newcomers the Davenport Panthers (8-19, 6-14 GLIAC) 60-44 Saturday. Both seniors Kelli Guy and Brenna Heise surpassed the 1,000-career point totals this past weekend.
On Thursday, Feb. 22, the Warriors got on the board first converting a layup for an early 2-0 lead. Freshman Cassidy Trotter got the start for the Huskies, as Heise was out with the flu, and she tied up the game at two apiece. Both teams battled, answering each other when one would score.
The Warriors gained a three-point lead after converting a layup and two free throws for the 11-8 lead with 22 seconds left in the first quarter. Guy knocked down a three just as the buzzer went off to end the first quarter in favor of the Warriors 11-10.
The Huskies started the second quarter with junior Elizabeth Kelliher knocking down a layup, followed by Guy converting another three for the 15-11 lead forcing Wayne State to call a timeout. Both teams then proceeded to battle, going basket for basket again.
The Warriors retook the lead on a three -pointer and two free throws to make it 24-20 WSU with a minute and a half left in the second. Senior Hannah Stoll answered a layup by the Warriors with her own layup, to go into halftime in favor of the Warriors 26-24.
Coming out of halftime, Stoll converted two free throws to tie the game up at 26 apiece. Both teams equally matched each other as they went basket for basket yet again. A three by Guy with a minute and a half left in the third made it 38-37 WSU. The Warriors went on a quick 5-0 run to take the 43-37 lead, but another three by Guy at the buzzer made it 43-40 heading into the fourth.
The Warriors knocked down a three to start the fourth, however junior Michelle LaFave answered with a three of her own to make it 46-43 WSU. Guy tied up the game at 52 apiece after converting another three, with six and a half minutes left to go. The Warriors made it 62-57 after converting a layup with a minute and a half left, forcing the Huskies to call a timeout.
A three by Guy made it 64-60 with 44 seconds remaining. Wayne State converted two more free throws, forcing the Huskies to call another timeout. Kelliher converted a layup, while a foul was called on Wayne State. However, Kelliher missed the free throw, but got the offensive rebound and put the ball in the basket for two more points, making it 66-64 WSU with 25 seconds left.
Two more free throws by the Warriors made it 68-64 WSU, but Guy was fouled shooting a three, and converted three free throws to make it 68-67 WSU with 21 seconds remaining. The Warriors went 1-2 at the free throw line making it 69-67 WSU with 20 seconds remaining, forcing the Huskies to call another timeout. LaFave tied the game up at 69 apiece with 13 seconds left. However, the Huskies were called for a foul, but the Warriors went 1-2 at the free throw line again.
The Huskies then proceeded to turn the ball over with three seconds left giving the ball to Wayne State. The Warriors went 1-2 at the free throw line again after another foul by tech making it 71-69 WSU with two seconds left. However, the Huskies weren’t able to make anything in those final two seconds.
Guy paved the way for the Huskies in scoring with 30, followed by Stoll with 16, and LaFave with 11. Kelliher finished with eight, while Trotter and senior Sarah LewAllen each had two apiece. Kelliher led the Huskies with ten rebounds, while sophomore Baille McGirk led the Huskies with seven assists. Kelliher had two blocks, while Trotter and LaFave each had one.
On Feb. 24, all the seniors started for the Huskies, and senior Lindsay Winter was an honorary starter. Senior Elisa Jurmu got the Huskies on the board first just 30 seconds into the game. Davenport took the 5-4 lead after converting a layup and a free throw with 6:15 left in the first. Jurmu retook the lead for the Huskies with 3:14 with a layup. Two layups by McGirk put the Huskies up 12-7 to end the first quarter.
McGirk kept rolling in the second quarter by knocking in another layup for the 14-7 lead. The Panthers came roaring back with an 11-7 run, making it 21-18 after a layup with two minutes left. The Panthers paced with the Huskies for the rest of the quarter. Jurmu converted a free throw and a layup to end go into halftime with the Huskies up 27-20.
Heise knocked in a layup to increase MTU’s lead to eight, 30-22. Heise converted a three-pointer to put Tech up double digits 42-31 with 3:10 left in the third. The third quarter ended with Heise converting two free throws and Guy knocking down another three to end the third with the Huskies up 47-32.
The Huskies continued to roll on in the fourth quarter as Heise and sophomore Ellie Welsh converted layups for the 51-34 lead with eight minutes left in the game. Sophomore Abbie Botz converted a layup to put the Huskies up comfortably 55-38 with three and a half left in the game. Junior Bella O’Brien ended the game with a layup for a final score of 60-44 in favor of MTU.
The Huskies held senior day on Saturday, as seniors Elisa Jurmu, Hannah Stoll, Lindsay Winter, Kelli Guy, Sarah LewAllen, and Brenna Heise were celebrated for their fantastic careers here at MTU. The university as a whole wishes them the best of luck in their futures.
The Huskies were led in scoring by Heise ,who finished with 12, Guy with nine, followed closely behind by McGirk with eight, and Jurmu with seven. Trotter finished with six, while Kelliher contributed five, Stoll finished with four, O’Brien finished with three, and Welsh, Botz, and LewAllen finished with two apiece. Heise led the Huskies with nine rebounds. Five different Huskies tied for most assists in the game with two apiece, led by Stoll, Jurmu, Guy, McGirk, and Welsh. Heise led the Huskies in blocks with four.
The Huskies will be back in action this Wednesday as they take on the Ferris State Bulldogs (14-14, 8-12 GLIAC) in the opening round of the GLIAC playoffs, in the SDC Wood Gym at 5:30 p.m. The Bulldogs finished the regular season with a split, defeating the Purdue Northwest Pride, but losing to the Grand Valley State Lakers. The Huskies swept the Bulldogs both times they faced them this year, defeating them at Ferris 80-77, and defeating the Bulldogs in Houghton 80-63.
The GLIAC tournament looks like this: The number one-seeded Ashland Eagles (28-0, 20-0 GLIAC) will play host to the eight-seeded Davenport Panthers (8-19, 6-14 GLIAC) in Ashland, Ohio.
The number two-seeded Michigan Tech Huskies (23-4, 17-3 GLIAC) will host the number seven-seeded Ferris State Bulldogs (14-14, 8-12 GLIAC) in the SDC Wood Gym.
The number three-seeded Grand Valley State Lakers (23-5, 16-4 GLIAC) will host number six-seeded Northern Michigan Wildcats (15-13, 11-9 GLIAC) in Allendale, Michigan.
The number four-seeded Wayne State Warriors (19-7, 14-6 GLIAC) will host number five-seeded Northwood Timberwolves (16-10, 12-8 GLIAC) in Detroit, Michigan.
All games will be winner moves on, with the highest remaining seed hosting the semifinals and finals of the GLIAC tournament.
