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Posted: Dec 15, 2021

Tech downs Finlandia 122-52

Tech downs Finlandia 122-52 Play Video
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HOUGHTON, Mich. – Dominating the offensive glass, Michigan Tech men's basketball took down Finlandia University 122-52 Wednesday night at SDC Gymnasium in non-conference action. The Huskies used a 10-0 run to open a 32-point gap at halftime and cruised the rest of the way to improve to 7-3 (3-1 GLIAC). Tech is 3-1 on their current homestand. Finlandia dropped to 1-12 with their seventh straight defeat. 

Trent Bell marked his third double-double of the season with 17 points, 13 rebounds. Tyler Robarge set a new career-high with 16 points and six boards. Michigan Tech passed 35 assists, one short of a team single-game program record (36) set in 1987. Bell, Carter Johnston, and Eric Carl notched five assists apiece. Tech out-rebounded the Lions 54-20, including 17 on offense and made nine blocks and 13 steals.

"To pass 35 assists today was great," said head coach Josh Buettner. "It shows that we are willing to be unselfish. When we do that, we become a very difficult team to guard. If we play through the post and get the ball inside and then work it back to the three-point line, we can balance our attack inside and out. Both offensively and defensively, we did some good things. We just have to be consistent in bringing that execution every night and we'll be successful."

The Huskies shot 58-percent in the first half, including 55-percent (11-for-20) from long range, with three players in double-figures at the break. The team ended shooting 62.3-percent (48-77), and went 16-for-30 (53-percent) from beyond the arc. Tech also collected a season-high 62 points in the paint.

Point leaders for Tech included Bell (17 pts), Robarge (16 pts), Brad Simonsen (14 pts), Adam Hobson (12 pts), Owen White (12 pts), Eric Carl (11 pts), and Devin Schmitz (11 pts). Logan Geissler picked off a team-high three steals.

"We're hoping Trent will gain some confidence now from the 3-point line," Buettner said. "He saw a couple go in, which was great to see. Plus he added five assists and zero turnovers. He's pretty much a staple on the boards and on defense already so it was nice to see him be a big shot maker for us tonight as well." 

Irick Higgins-Moise led Finlandia with 14 points on 6 of 8 shooting. The Lions shot 32-percent (18-for-56) overall, including 33-percent (7-for-21) from long range. No one picked up more than three rebounds individually.

Michigan Tech scored over 100 points against Finlandia in each of three matchups with the Lions over the last ten years. The Huskies crossed the 100 points mark for the first time since January 8, 2020 and defeated an opponent by 50 or more points for the first time since December 21, 2019 (W, 117-60 vs. Algoma).

The Huskies continue their homestand in non-conference play against Algoma University on January 3.