Huskies Gearing up for GLIAC Tournament Battle with Wayne State

Michigan Tech Game Notes (PDF)

Tues., Feb. 28 • 7:30 p.m. (ET) vs Wayne State

Michigan Tech (15-13, 13-8 GLIAC) vs Wayne State (16-9, 13-8 GLIAC)

HUSKIES TOP NMU TO EARN HOME GAME IN GLIAC TOURNAMENT

Michigan Tech needed a win over Nothern Michigan in the regular season finale and some help to clinch a home game and the No. 4 seed in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Quarterfinals. The Huskies did their part by topping the Wildcats 85-80 combined with a 77-59 victory by Ferris State against Grand Valley State Thursday night. Six Michigan Tech players closed the night with double digit point totals, guided by sophomore Kyle Monroe with 19 points on 8 of 15 shooting from the field. He also grabbed six rebounds and had a couple of steals on the defensive end of the floor. Junior A.J. Grazulis matched a season and career high with 16 points, going 7 for 9 each time he put the ball in the air. Senior Jordan Chartier equaled Grazulis with 16 points of his own followed by sophomore Bryan Heath with 13 points. Freshman Tommy Lucca chipped in 11 points and senior Jason Hawke provided 10 points off the bench to round out the double digit scorers. Chartier also hauled down six boards and led the team with two assists.

Sophomore forward Kyle Monroe is drawing closer to reaching 1,000 career points as he and the Huskies begin the postseason Tuesday night. Monroe added 19 points to his career total and has accumulated 978 points in two seasons at Tech. Monroe leads the Huskies in scoring at 19.7 points per game, which also ranks him fifth in the GLIAC. So far this season, Monroe has scored 493 points after posting 485 points as a freshman during the 2015-16 campaign. 

GLIAC TOURNAMENT

Michigan Tech is back in the GLIAC Tournament as the No. 4 seed after missing the field of eight last season. The Huskies will be making thier 20th appearance in the GLIAC Tournament under the direction of Head Coach Kevin Luke, winning the tournament three times. Tech will face the No. 5 seed Wayne State in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night in the SDC Wood Gym. Ferris State, Findlay, Lake Superior State, Ashland, and Grand Valley State round out this year's tournament field.

GLIAC STATISTICAL RANKINGS

Michigan Tech is in the top four in four categories of the GLIAC Statistical rankings going into the postseason. The Huskies turn the ball over only 8.8 times per game (1st), are third in the league at 9.7 triples per contest, are fourth in the conference in three-point shooting percentage (39.1%), and are the top free throw shooting team in regards to percentage at the charity stripe (81.0%). In addition, Tech is third in the GLIAC rankings in three point shots attempted per game (24.8). Monroe is currently fifth in the conference in scoring with his team leading 19.7 points per game average.

LAST TIME VERSUS WAYNE STATE

Michigan Tech fell to Wayne State 68-47 in the most recent meeting of the 2016-17 campaign on February 9th in Houghton. The two teams split the regular season series with the Huskies prevailing over the Warriors on the road 63-58 on January 12th. In Tech's victory, Lucca played all 40 minutes on his way to a team high 17 points. He went 7 of 14 from the field with two rebounds and three assists. Chartier followed with 15 points, three boards, and three assists while Heath tacked on 13 points and four rebounds. Hawke came off the bench to notch seven second half points while Monroe closed the game with six points and a team best eight rebounds. Monroe had a game high 25 points in the loss on February 9th. Wayne State owns a 53-31 all-time series lead over Tech going into Tuesday's game.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION

Wayne State has played well during the home stretch of the schedule, winning four of the last five games entering the postseason. The Warriors boast an overall record of 16-9 and finished the year with a 13-8 mark against GLIAC opponents. Wayne State's most recent win came against Saginaw Valley State in a 57-53 decision this past Thursday night. The Warriors have also claimed victories against Tech, Northern Michigan, and Northwood this month. Wayne State has the top ranked defense in the conference, allowing just 66.6 points per game to opponents this season. The Warriors have also limited opposing shooters to a 42.2% field goal percentage, which is third in the GLIAC statistical rankings. Junior forward Chuck Key is the leading scorer for Wayne State thanks to a 14.8 points per game average. Junior guard Ronald Booth adds 14.3 points per night and junior guard Marcus Moore chips in 12.3 points per game. Key and Booth both had 18 points against the Huskies in the last meeeting. Senior forward Michael Lewis is the top rebounder with a 6.6 boards per game average. The Warriors offense is averaging 69.7 points per game through 25 contests.

COACH LUKE

Kevin Luke, the winningest coach in Michigan Tech basketball history begins his 23rd season leading the Huskies in 2016-17. He has earned a plethora of accolades since his appointment as the program's 11th head coach in May of 1994. Luke has guided the Huskies to five Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles, earned eight NCAA Tournament berths and won his 300th game in a 74-72 victory over Grand Valley State on March 2, 2011. He reached the 400 win mark on January 19th with an 83-72 win over Northwood at home.

NEXT UP

If Tech wins, they will advance to the GLIAC semifinals on Saturday. Game time, place, and opponent will be determined following Tuesday's quarterfinal games.