Tech Takes on No. 15 UIndy in Regional Opener

THIS WEEK'S NOTES

STAT OF THE WEEK
4 • Teams from the Midwest Region ranked in the nation's top 25 including regional host Bellarmine (No. 4) and Tech's first-round opponent Indianapolis (No. 15).

TECH MAKING NINTH NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE
Michigan Tech will appear in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time when it faces Indianapolis on Saturday (Mar. 14). The Huskies first played in the big dance in 1962-63. They didn't make it back until coach Kevin Luke's fourth season at the helm in 1998. Tech is making its eighth appearance under Luke  fresh of the program's best-ever finish in 2013-14 when the sixth-seeded Black and Gold knocked off No. 3 Southern Indiana and No. 2 Indianapolis to reach their first NCAA Sweet 16. The own an 8-8 all-time tournament record, playing in the regional semifinal in each of their nine appearances.

STELZER LEADING MIDWEST REGION IN SCORING
Ben Stelzer, who was last week named GLIAC Player of the Year, leads all players in the Midwest Region in scoring. The 6-1 senior guard averages 22.1 points per game. He leads the nation in 3-pointers made per game at 4.0 while shooting 46 percent from behind the arc. Stelzer, an Academic All-American Second Team selection, has posted 20 or more points in 19 games this season with three 30-point performances. With 597 points this season, has totaled 1,734 career points—seventh most in Michigan Tech history. The senior guard also reset Tech's record for 3-pointers made (360). Stelzer was the preseason GLIAC Player of the Year and four-time GLIAC Player of the Week during the 2014-15 campaign.

ROMBACK CONTINUES TO PRODUCE
Phil Romback scored 13 points with four assists in Tech's last contest—a 77-58 loss to Walsh in the GLIAC Quarterfinal. The senior has turned in games of 15, 15, 14 and 13 points in his last four and is averaging 12.7 in the six games since Feb. 12. Romback joined the starting lineup Feb. 5 at No. 17 Ferris State, and the team is 6-2 since then.

HELLER ON PACE FOR SCHOOL RECORD
Junior post man Luke Heller is shooting 64.1 percent from the floor this season, having made 107-of-167 attempts. The school record for season field goal percentage is 62.9 by Willie Wesley in 1988-89. Heller averages 9.3 points and a team-high 5.1 rebounds on the season.

THE SERIES VS. INDIANAPOLIS
Michigan Tech is 4-0 all-time against Indianapolis in men's basketball with two of those coming during NCAA Tournament play. The first was a 2003 Great Lakes Regional quarterfinal in Houghton that the Huskies won 90-75. The second came last year in the Midwest Region semifinal at Springfield, Mo., via a 82-76 score. Ben Stelzer posted 32 points—all in the second half—of last year's triumph over the Greyhounds.

CHARTIER SIXTH NATIONALLY IN ASSIST-TO-TURNOVER RATIO
Jordan Chartier, who recently earned spots on both the All-GLIAC Second Team and the GLIAC All-Defensive Team, leads the GLIAC and ranks sixth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio. The junior has 91 assists with just 28 turnovers on the year for a mark of 3.25. In addition to leading the team in assists, Chartier ranks second on the squad in both scoring (10.0) and rebounding (4.4).

HUSKY BITES
Michigan Tech winter sports teams are a combined 72-18-2 (hockey 26-8-2, women's basketball 27-2, men's basketball 19-8) for a .793 winning percentage … The Black and Gold are 14-1 when putting up 70+ points and 15-2 when winning the rebounding battle … Tech is 12-4 away from home this season including a win in its only neutral site game.

WHERE THEY RANK (as of 3/11/15)
Category    Value    In GLIAC    In Nation
Fewest TO/Game    9.8    1    4
Fewest Fouls    410    1    8
3FG Pct    41.1    1    12
Assist/TO Ratio    1.52    2    9
Free Throw Pct    76.5    2    11
Scoring Defense    64.5    2    22