Tech Men Play Host to T'Wolves and Lakers to End Month

THIS WEEK'S NOTES

STAT OF THE WEEK
10 • Games left on Tech's 2014-15 regular season schedule. The Huskies have five of those at home and five on the road.

STELZER EARNS PLAYER OF WEEK FOR THIRD TIME
Ben Stelzer earned GLIAC North Division Player of the Week honors for the third time this season with a 19.5 scoring average in a pair of road wins last week. The senior continues to lead the GLIAC and rank 14th nationally in scoring at 21.9 points per contest this season. His 350 points on the year have raised his career total to 1,478, within striking distance of moving into the top 10 on Tech's all-time scoring list. Stelzer ranks third nationally in 3-point field goals per game (4.19).

Michigan Tech Career Scoring List        
Player     Seasons    Points
1. Larry Grimes    1968-72    2,360
...
10. Jason Marcotte    2001-05    1,521
11. Ben Stelzer    2011-present    1,487

ROMBACK NETS SEASON HIGH
Senior Phil Romback made 5-of-8 field goals including three 3-pointers in a 78-67 win at Hillsdale last Thursday (Jan. 22). His 15 points were a season high and six shy of his career mark. Romback averages 4.1 points per game on the season.

HAWKE GOES FOR CAREER-HIGH 23 AT SAGINAW
Sophomore guard Jason Hawke did not miss a field goal in a career-best 23-point performance at Saginaw Valley State last Saturday (Jan. 24). The 6-5 Canadian made all six of his shots plus 10-of-12 at the foul line to lead all scorers in the game. Hawke's previous career best was 19 vs. UW-Parkside last season (Dec. 21, 2013).

7-1 IN JANUARY
Michigan Tech has won seven of its eight games since a 12-day break during the holidays. Senior guard Ben Stelzer has seen his scoring average go from 25.3 before the New Year to 18.5 in the eight games after, but the Huskies' offense is scoring six more points per game (72 compared to 66) as a whole in the moth of January. Tech has also benefitted from a rebounding margin that has gone from +1.8 to +5.5.

THE SERIES VS. NORTHWOOD
Tech has won eight straight games vs. Northwood and 47 of the 63 meetings since the series began in 1981.

THE SERIES VS. LAKE SUPERIOR STATE
The Huskies and Lakers have developed a rivalry over the last few years with several close games. LSSU won both contests a year ago, but Tech had claimed the previous five matchups. The all-time series between the teams is tied at 51 wins apiece.

WHERE THEY RANK
Category    Value    In GLIAC    In Nation
Fewest Fouls    225    1    2
Turnovers/Game    9.9    1    5
3FG Pct    42.1    1    12
Assist/TO Ratio    1.52    2    10
Free Throw Pct    76.7    2    13
Scoring Defense    63.6    2    25

COACH LUKE
Head coach Kevin Luke is in his 21st season on the bench for the Huskies and has led Tech to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and six GLIAC Titles. He has a 373-222 (.627) career record. He is a four-time GLIAC Coach of the Year and was the 2002-03 NABC National Coach of the Year. The Huskies have had seven 20-win seasons under Luke.

NEXT UP
Tech plays its third game in five days on Monday (Feb. 2) when it hosts Northern Michigan at the SDC Gym.