Findlay Slips Past Tech 72-70 Saturday
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Findlay (7-3, 4-2 GLIAC) | 35 | 37 | 72 |
|
Michigan Tech (5-6, 3-2 GLIAC) | 29 | 41 | 70 |
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech men's basketball team suffered a 72-70 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss to Findlay on Saturday night in the SDC Wood Gym. Tyler Stern-Tucker dropped in a layup for the Oilers in the final seconds and a last second triple try by the Huskies just fell off the mark as time expired.
"They made one more shot than us," Michigan Tech Head Coach Kevin Luke said. "I have to give Findlay credit because they made every shot down the stretch. I didn't think our defense was that bad most of the night, but we had some breakdowns at times. We didn't have that urgency throughout out the game tonight and we have to have it from start to finish. We don't quite have that yet, but we'll keep working at it to get it."
Michigan Tech (5-6, 3-2 GLIAC) got the upper hand at the outset of the game when freshman Tommy Lucca knocked down a triple to open the scoring. Sophomore Bryan Heath followed with a triple of his own to make it a 6-2 score after Findlay (7-3, 4-2 GLIAC) had jumped on the board with a layup by Alex White.
The Oilers controlled the next few moments of the game and with just under 14 minutes remaining in the first half, constructed a 13-9 edge following a conventional three-point play from Taren Sullivan. Findlay remained a step ahead of the Huskies throughout the rest of the first 20 minutes. The Oilers created a 10-point gap at 27-17 on a Sullivan trey with 5:24 to go until the break.
Tech chopped the deficit to four points at 27-23 with 3:54 on the clock thanks to free throws by sophomore Kyle Monroe and Lucca. The Huskies would then trail by no more than two possessions during the final minutes of the first half. The Oilers would post the final two points of the frame on an Elijah Kahlig layup with 25 seconds on the clock en route to a 35-29 advantage at the break.
Tech sliced the gap to two points at 35-33 with four quick points on a layup by Monroe and two more Lucca free throws to begin the final period. With 15:27 left in the contest, the Huskies regained the edge at 39-38 when senior Jason Hawke banked a layup off the glass. Ricardo Smith knotted the game at 39-39 on a free throw a few seconds later, but the Huskies used an 8-0 scoring run to build their largest lead of the night at that point 47-39. Lucca capped the run on a trey with 13:36 on the clock.
Tech stayed out ahead of Findlay, eventually creating a 52-43 advantage on a conventional three-point play by Lucca with 11 minutes to go. Unfortunately, the Huskies weren't able to put the contest out of reach as Findlay chipped away at their deficit. The Oilers eventually pulled back ahead 54-52 with 7:41 to play on a three-pointer by Sullivan and from there the game seesawed back and forth until the end.
With just over three minutes to go, Hawke found the range from long distance and gave Tech the edge at 64-61. Kahlig answered with a three-point bucket for Findlay and then Sullivan connected from behind the arc to push the Oilers ahead again at 67-64. Senior Jordan Chartier tied the score at 67-67 on a triple with just over two minutes to go only to see Kahlig answer with another three ball for Findlay moments later.
Chartier stepped up for Tech by hoisting in another three-point basket to make it a 70-70 score heading into the final minute. Neither side could get much done offensively on the next couple of possessions, but with time winding down on the game clock and shot clock, Stern-Tucker worked the ball into the paint for what would be the game winning layup for Findlay. Lucca then lifted a three-point shot for Tech, but it was off target as the buzzer sounded.
Lucca ended the night with 19 points, four rebounds and six assists to guide the Huskies offense. Monroe recorded his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds followed by Chartier who added 12 points and seven assists to round out the double digit scorers. Heath and junior A.J. Grazulis chipped in with nine and eight points respectively.
Tech closed the night capitalizing on 24 of 58 shots from the field (41.4%), they were 8 of 33 from three-point range (24.2%), and 14 of 15 at the free throw line (93.3%). The Huskies out-rebounded Findlay 34-31 and scored 28 points in the paint.
The Oilers were powered by Sullivan with a game high 25 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists while Kahlig contributed 22 points. Stern-Tucker tallied 12 points on 9 of 12 shooting from the field. As a team, Findlay made good on 26 of 56 shots from the field (46.4%), were 11 of 27 from behind the arc (40.7%), and 9 of 11 at the free throw line (81.8%).
The Huskies will return to the floor on December 31st for a non-conference game at home against Kentucky Wesleyan. The tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
