Huskies to Battle Ashland in GLIAC Final Four

Michigan Tech Game Notes (PDF)

Saturday 2 p.m. vs Ashland • Sunday TBD • Kates Gymnasium

Michigan Tech (20-7) vs Ashland (29-0)

SOLID START TO THE POSTSEASON

Michigan Tech punched its ticket to this weekend's GLIAC Final Four with an 82-66 triumph against Ohio Dominican in the quarterfinals Tuesday night at the SDC Wood Gym. The Huskies turned the tide of the game in the third quarter when they outscored the Panthers 26-11.Senior Morgan Anderson powered the Huskies with 28 points after going 10 of 19 from the field and 7 for 7 at the free throw line. She just missed equaling a career high 29 points, which she set at Ashland on January 5th. Junior Lindsay Winter followed by recording a career high 27 points by sinking 8 of 13 shots from the field and six attempts at the charity stripe. Winter was also on target five times from behind the arc, equaling a career best for most triples in a game. Redshirt junior Kelli Guy rounded out the double digit scorers with 13 points in the win over Ohio Dominican. Redshirt junior Brenna Heise chipped in six points, grabbed a team high six rebounds, blocked three shots, had four assists, and four steals. Tech was victorius in both games against the Panthers this season.

WINTER RECORDS NEW CAREER HIGH, SPARKS TECH OFFENSE

Lindsay Winter has been vital for the Huskies both on offense and defense druing the final stretch of the season. Winter has helped Tech win six of the last seven games, knocking down at least 50.0% of her 3-pt shots in six of those contests. She's also reached double digit point totals in every game but one during that span, including a career high 27 points against Ohio Dominican in the GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinals on Tuesday. Winter is averaging 10.4 points per game and ranks fourth in the GLIAC in 3-pt shooting percentage (43.2) this season. She also very accurate at the free throw line, sinking 94.4% of her attempts.

TECH NO. 5 IN LATEST NCAA DIVISION II REGION POLL

Michigan Tech moved up one spot to No. 5 in the latest NCAA Division II Midwest Region Poll, announced Wednesday by the national office. The Huskies were ranked 6th in the poll the previous two weeks and continue to be one of five teams to represent the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in this week's edition of the rankings. The breakdown for GLIAC Teams in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Rankings this week include Ashland at No. 1 followed by Saginaw Valley State at No. 3. Michigan Tech is No. 5, Grand Valley State checks in at No. 8, and Ohio Dominican is No. 10.

GLIAC STATISTICAL RANKINGS

Michigan Tech remains in the top four of the GLIAC statistical rankings in multiple categories. The Huskies lead the conference in fewest turnovers per game (11.4), are first in blocks per game (5.5), third in field goals made per game (26.6), third in points allowed per game (59.8), second in field goal percentage (44.4), third in three-point percentage (37.6), third in free throw percentage (79.1), and fourth in points per game (68.8). Sophomore Elizabeth Kelliher leads the conference in blocks per game at 2.8, Anderson is 5th in the scoring (16.0 ppg), and Winter is fourth in 3-pt shooting percentage (43.2). 

LAST TIME VS ASHLAND

Tech gave top ranked Ashland all they could handle on their home floor back on January 5th. The Huskies fell that night 82-75 and are the only GLIAC team to stay within single digits of the Eagles this season. Anderson and Kelliher both had career night's for Tech in the contest, scoring 29 and 21 points respectively. The Huskies stayed within two possessions until the final minute and trailed by just three points at 78-75 after a Kelliher layup with 2:51 left. Neither team could get much going on offense in the final moments with the exception of four Ashland free throws.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION

Ashland comes into the weekend as the top ranked team in the Midwest Region and in the lastest WBCA NCAA Divsion II Top 25 Poll. The Eagles are 29-0 and finshed the GLIAC portion of the schedule with a 20-0 mark. Their only "loss" of the 2016-17 campaign was a nine point 88-79 setback in an exhibition contest at Ohio State, who went on to claim the regular season Big 10 Championship. Ashland is averaging 96.6 points per game on offense while giving up just 62.7 points per game to opponents. The Eagles are led by Laina Snyder who pours in 17.7 ppg and Andi Daugherty at 14.8 ppg. Snyder pulls down 9.2 rebounds per contest and Daughery hauls in 5.5 rpg. Ashland ranks first in nearly every offensive category in the GLIAC heading into the Final Four of the conference tournament. Saginaw Valley State and Grand Valley State are the other participants in the Final Four and will play in the other semifinal game on Saturday. The Huskies split the season series with each of them.

COACH CAMERON

Kim Cameron is in her seventh season at Michigan Tech in 2016-17 and is the first Division II head coach in Tech history to lead a team to a national title game appearance (2011). Tech's historic run through the NCAA Tournament came just months after Cameron was appointed to the position on June 17, 2010. The 2011 and 2015 GLIAC and 2011 WBCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year has accumulated 138 wins in her first six seasons on the job. Her winning percentage (.780) is the best of any coach in the program's history, a list that includes three Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Famers (Cheryl DePuydt, Kevin Borseth and Darla Olson). She has guided the Huskies to the GLIAC Tournament all seven seasons.

NEXT UP

If Tech wins, they will advance to the GLIAC Championship on Sunday at 3 p.m.

For more information on the GLIAC Final Four and to purchase tickets visit the tournament website by clicking here.