Huskies collect ninth win in a row on senior day
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wayne State (5-15,4-13 GLIAC) | 16 | 41 | 57 |
|
Michigan Tech (19-5,15-3 GLIAC) | 48 | 34 | 82 |
HOUGHTON, Mich. - Dominating Wayne State from start to finish, Michigan Tech men's basketball picked up their ninth straight victory Saturday 82-57 on senior day at SDC Gymnasium. Owen White posted a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. The Huskies shot an efficient 57.1-percent overall, including 47-percent (11-for-23) from beyond the arc. Trent Bell went 4-for-6 from the 3-point arc and totaled 16 points, seven rebounds, and three steals.
Michigan Tech improved to 19-5 (15-3 GLIAC) with two games remaining in the regular season. The Huskies are in second place in the conference with a matchup with No. 20 ranked Ferris State (20-6, 15-3) next on Thursday, February 24.
"I thought we did a nice job coming out focused," said head coach Josh Buettner. "We moved the ball, made shots, and took care of the glass right away, which gave us a chance to lead by 30 points in the first half. It's a good win. We've given ourselves a chance to finish the season in a good position on the final road trip of the year next week."
White gave the Huskies a strong start with a 3-pointer at the 18:23 mark of the first half for a 7-2 edge. Trent Bell put away a one-handed dunk to provide even more energy and the Huskies went ahead 22-11 nearing the midway point of the first half. Tech's lead grew to 32-11 at the 6:52 mark, part of a 17-0 run which saw the team make its seventh triple of the afternoon. MTU led 48-16 at halftime.
The opening minutes of the second half featured more Husky pressure, including an Adam Hobson three-pointer at the 15:44 mark. With the starters relieved by the 3-minute mark, Michigan Tech cruised to victory 82-57.
"The seniors came out and were fired up. Trent came out firing and Owen just did what Owen does. I thought the three minutes in the first half when we had all five seniors on the court at the same time were the best three minutes we played in the whole game. I was really proud of that group."
Senior Kyle Clow posted 11 points off the bench and shot 5-for-8. Tech also out-rebounded the Warriors 37-29. Brailen Neely had 22 points and six rebounds for Wayne State. The Warriors shot 35.7-percent in the game and went 5-for-21 (23.8-percent) from downtown.
Michigan Tech swept Wayne State in the season series 2-0. The GLIAC quarterfinals, with higher seeds hosting, are set for Wednesday, March 2. Seniors Trent Bell, Kyle Clow, TeeAaron Powell, Owen White, Carter Johnston, and Jalen Carter were recognized prior to the start of Saturday's game for their contributions to the program.
If the Huskies are able to win on Thursday at Ferris State, it will be the first win streak of 10 straight games for men's basketball since 2002.
