PREVIEW: Huskies host Crossover Tourney to start season

HOUGHTON, Mich. - Michigan Tech hosts the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover men's basketball tournament this weekend as the Huskies tip off their regular season slate of non-conference games at SDC Gymnasium. The action begins Saturday, with Northern Michigan facing McKendree at noon, followed by Michigan Tech versus Lewis at 2 p.m. On Sunday, it will be Northern Michigan against Lewis at noon, followed by Michigan Tech versus McKendree at 2 p.m.

• For tickets, call the SDC Ticket office or visit mtu.universitytickets.com.
• Games will be streamed via FloSports and MTU's contests will be on Mix 93.5 FM WKMJ with long-time play-by-play voice of the Huskies Mitch Lake on the call.
• (VIDEO) Michigan Tech Men's Basketball 2022-23 Season Preview

2022-23 SEASON PREVIEW

Michigan Tech men's basketball boasts a young squad with much to prove in 2022-23. The Huskies began with a trip to NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin Green Bay on Thursday, November 3 with two returning starters and 12 underclassmen on the roster and fell 72-66.

Tech is no stranger to top exhibition competition as last year's veteran-laden group downed Division I Ball State on the road 70-69 to tip off their 2021-22 campaign. Unintimidated by the Cardinals in their home arena, the Huskies went on to finish 21-7 overall and tied for first place in the GLIAC North Division standings (16-4) in head coach Josh Buettner's first season at the helm. He would eventually earn GLIAC Coach of the Year honors in the effort. 

Still, the spring ended in disappointment. In the final week of the regular season, the Huskies were shocked to lose in overtime to No. 25 ranked Ferris State 76-72, a game that very likely would have locked up a second straight appearance in the NCAA Region Tournament. Their luck improved a sliver in the quarterfinals of the GLIAC Tournament, but the team came up short against rival Northern Michigan 78-71 in the semifinals.

Senior Owen White concluded his four-year run as back-to-back season GLIAC Player of the Year and Trent Bell graduated as the all-time Husky leader in games played (136). Carter Johnston led the squad in assists for the second straight season and is back in the confines of the SDC as a graduate assistant coach, along with Tech's all-time points leader Kyle Monroe. 

Along with Husky All-American turned assistant coach Ben Stelzer and brand new assistant coach Zach Flener (basketball operations associate with the Lakeland Magic of the NBA G-League), the staff will be tasked with imparting wisdom to a crop of young talent ripe with opportunity to crack the opening day lineup on November 11 against William Jewell College. 

Leadership from within the locker room will also be important. Senior guard Eric Carl (Kaukauna, Wis.) finished fourth in the GLIAC with 70-made 3-pointers last season and started all 28 games. He scored at a rate of 11 points per game with three 20-point efforts, including 22 against Lewis last November. Carl equaled his 11-point average in 2020-21 and has been voted the team's Most Improved Player (2020-21) and Outstanding Newcomer (2019-20) since he arrived as a redshirt in 2018-19. Carl was a starter when the Huskies made their memorable NCAA Region Final run two years ago and knows well the pressure of the big stage, having won a pair of state championships at Kaukauna High School. 

The other senior on the roster is Devin Schmitz (Dollar Bay, Michigan). The Keweenaw local added reliable depth to the roster over the past three years and may see his minutes continue to increase this season after appearing in a career high 12 games in 2021-22.

Sophomore guard Adam Hobson (Stoughton, Michigan) started 27 games last year and poured in 12.3 points per game (second) after shooting 43.7-percent from the field, including 39.9-percent from beyond the arc. Hobson posted a season high 28 points against Davenport in February and notched 17 games in double-figures with three games of 20 or more points. His jump in offensive output was noted by his selection as Preseason All-GLIAC First-Team. Hobson also earned the team's Most Improved Player award last spring.

Look for sophomore Brad Simonsen (Houghton, Mich.) to take a step forward this season as well. Simonsen made 10 appearances in 2020-21 and came off the bench 28 times last winter, averaging 4.1 points and double-figures on three occasions. The 6-foot-6-inch forward can be found in the paint, but also showed his ability from the outside, with five 3-pointers on 11 attempts against Finlandia last December. 

Like Simonsen, junior center Tyler Robarge (Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin) presents another inside threat and made 22 appearances off the bench in 2021-22. Robarge shot 57.4-percent from the floor and marked a season high 16 points against Finlandia.

The Huskies benefitted from extra practice time over the summer in preparation for a nine-day team trip to Greece. While there, the team bonded while taking in the sights of the ancient cities and played three exhibitions against Greek opponents, including Greek Select (Panathinaikos U-20), Maroussi BC, and Melissia BC.

Joining the Huskies as true freshmen this season are Marcus Tomashek (Guard - Green Bay, Wis.), Dan Gherezgher (Guard - Brookfield, Wis.), Drew Barrie (Guard - Midland, Mich.), Josh Terrian (Combo Guard - Pewaukee, Wis.), and Peyton LaCombe (Forward - Ludington, Mich.). Also getting their first look after redshirting last fall are Nate Abel (Point Guard - Beaver Dam, Wis.) and Dawson Nordgaard (Forward - De Pere, Wis.).

The Huskies begin GLIAC play at Wisconsin Parkside (Dec. 1) and Purdue Northwest (Dec. 3). 

Tech has been selected for entry in the NCAA Region Tournament two of the last three years and has not finished below .500 overall since 2018-19. 

In 101 seasons, the squad has made 11 NCAA appearances and won three GLIAC Tournament titles.

The Huskies were selected fifth in the D2SIDA Preseason midwest region rankings poll.

KEVIN LUKE TO ENTER HUSKY HALL OF FAME

Kevin Luke was the Head Men's Basketball Coach for 27 seasons from 1994-2021. He accumulated 471 wins, which is the most amongst all Michigan Tech Division II coaches. During his tenure, the Huskies made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and won three GLIAC North Division regular-season titles (2011-12, 2012-13, 2020-21) and three GLIAC Tournament titles (2001-02, 2002-03, 2019-20). He was named the 2002-03 Basketball Times National Coach of the Year in 2002-03 after leading his squad to a 29-3 record and a No. 1 national ranking in the final regular-season poll. He was also named the NABC Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2001-02 and 2002-03. The Huskies set school records for wins (29), winning percentage (.906), home wins (15), and consecutive wins (15) in 2002-03. They also made GLIAC history by winning 17 regular season league contests and becoming the first conference team to host an NCAA Regional. He was named the GLIAC Coach of the Year five times.

THANK YOU COACH DRAKE

Michigan Tech volunteer assistant coach and legendary coach in the copper country Rae Drake retired at the conclusion of last season. Drake was a volunteer assistant coach under Kevin Luke from 2018-21, then helped the team transition to Coach Buettner's leadership last season. Drake was an assistant coach with the men's program for five seasons (2005-06 to 2009-10) and then spent one year with the Tech women's basketball team when they advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship game in 2010-11. Drake launched the Bay College women's basketball program as the head coach in 2017-18, guiding the team to a 14-11 record in their inaugural season. The Norse won four of five games down the stretch to cap the year and secure a winning record.

In Drake's first stint as an assistant coach for the Tech men's program, he played a key role in scouting and player development. During those five years, the Huskies advanced to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament four times and finished second in the North Division in 2007-08.

Drake helped guide the women's basketball program to the national title game in 2011, finishing the season with an overall record of 31-3. The Huskies claimed both the GLIAC North Division regular season championship and the GLIAC tournament crown during the 2010-11 campaign.

Prior to arriving at Tech, Drake coached Upper Peninsula high school boys' basketball for 23 years. He spent nine seasons as the head coach at West Iron County where he compiled a 121-72 record, including seven conference championships and two district titles. He previously served 14 years as an assistant coach at Iron Mountain.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS

• The Flyers received one first-place vote and 107 total points.
• Earned GLVC East Division title and advanced to semifinals of GLVC postseason tournament this past season as 2-seed.    
• Defeated Maryville (W, 69-61) and McKendree (W, 68-58) before bowing out to Indianapolis (L, 72-63) on March 5.  
• Coached by reigning co-GLVC Coach of the Year, Scott Trost, who enters his 17th year after a 16-11 overall and 12-5 GLVC record in 2021-22.
• Return GLVC All-Freshman selection Anthony Sayles (Evanston, Ill./Norte Dame Prep).
• The team announced 10 newcomers to the squad this season. 
• Lost senior forward Connor Niego (Western Springs, Ill.), who was named to the NABC All-Midwest Second Team last year. He was also First Team All-GLVC and led the team in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (7.6 rpg) shooting 51.6-percent from the floor. 
• Last season, Michigan Tech defeated Lewis 64-56 in Romeoville, Illinois. Eric Carl and Owen White led Tech with 22 points apiece. MTU trailed 30-28 at halftime but shot 48-percent overall to pull away in the second half. Carl played 38 minutes and shot 8-for-14, including 6-for-12 from downtown. Lewis had four players reach double figures and shot 38-percent as a team. The Flyers struggled from the free throw line (11-22). 
• The Huskies also defeated Lewis in 2019-20 in Lebanon, Illinois 63-54. 
• Lewis last win against Tech came on November 10, 2018, in Marquette, 74-53. 

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS

• McKendree received 91 points for sixth place out of 13 teams in last week's GLVC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The sixth position in the poll is the highest for the program since the GLVC switched to a non-divisional format.
• The Bearcats tallied a 14-12 overall record and 9-11 mark in the GLVC last season.
• Head Coach George Suggs is in his second season at the helm.
• McKendree returns three starters, nine lettermen, and added a strong, talented recruiting class, including senior transfer guard Eric Powell II, from Lexington, Kentucky, and also a transfer from Asbury University.
• Bryson Bultman (Nashville, Ill.) led the GLIAC at 19.4 points per game a season ago and earned First Team All-GLVC honors and Second Team D2CCA All-Midwest Region accolades. He also posted 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game and led the league in minutes played at 37.2. He was third in the conference in free throws made (113), free throws attempted (148), and held a 1.17 assist/turnover ratio. 
• Luke Hensler (Okawville, Ill.) is back after averaging 7.7 points and 4.0 rebounds, shooting 39-percent from the 3-point line with 18 blocked shots.
• Aleksandar Davitkov (Belgrade, Serbia) averaged 7.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game at guard. He is back as a senior.
• The Bearcats fell in an exhibition on October 31 at Division I Northern Illinois 79-76. Junior forward Milos Vicentic (Belgrade, Serbia) led the offense with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists.
• The Huskies fell 74-59 to McKendree on November 12, 2021 in Romeoville, Illinois.
• Bryson Bultman poured in 29 points at Neil Carey Arena and the Huskies played from behind for all but 24 seconds of the game.
• Tech connected on 2 of 10 three point tries in the first half and ended 29-percent from long range on the night.
• McKendree shot 62-percent from the field.
• Adam Hobson led Michigan Tech with 17 points (7-for-12).
• McKendree led by as many as 22 in the second half. McKendree out-rebounded Michigan Tech 30-18.