Tech Faces GVSU in GLIAC Tourney Semifinal

THIS WEEK'S NOTES

STAT OF THE WEEK
2 • Tech's ranking in the final NCAA Midwest Regional poll before selection Sunday. The Huskies still have a shot at hosting the regional for the third time in the last six years.

HUSKIES HOSTING LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR NINTH TIME
The SDC Gym is the site for the GLIAC Women's Basketball Championship for the ninth time in the 25-year history of the tournament. Tech hosted the GLIAC Final Four for four consecutive years from 2008-11 and went 11-1 in those tournaments with three titles. Michigan Tech has won the GLIAC Tournament six times, with the last coming in 2011—the same year the Huskies finished as NCAA Runners-Up.

HAPPY TO BE HOME
Michigan Tech are 20-5 all-time in home games during the GLIAC Tournament. The Huskies have played 14 games at the SDC Gym this season, putting all 14 in the win column by an average margin of 16 points. Tech is 69-6 (.920) at home since Kim Cameron took over as head coach.

HEISE'S HOT HAND ON WEDNESDAY
Sophomore Brenna Heise scored a game-high 16 points in Tech's 67-49 GLIAC Quarterfinal win over Hillsdale on Wednesday (Mar. 4). She made 8-of-12 field goal attempts in just 21 minutes of action. It was Heise's highest point output in 11 games. The 5-11 guard averages 9.7 points per game and is 0.3 away from being Tech's fifth player averaging in double figures.

BALANCE ON OFFENSE
Tech's five starters have combined for 16 20+ point games in 2014-15. There is merely a three-point spread between the first- and fifth-place scorers on the roster. Six different Huskies have led the team in points in 27 games. No one player has done it more than six times.

NCAA MIDWEST REGION POLL (3/4/15)
1. Lewis
2. Michigan Tech
3. Drury
4. Wayne State
5. UW-Parkside
6. Southern Indiana
7. Ashland
8. Grand Valley State

HUSKIES STILL RANKED IN TOP 10
Tech is ranked No. 9 for the second straight poll and inside the top 10 for a third consecutive week. The Huskies entered the top 25 Dec. 16 and have been ranked in 10 consecutive polls. The GLIAC continues to have two nationally-ranked teams with Tech at No. 9 and Wayne State at No. 16.

BLAKE PACING TECH IN (ALMOST) EVERYTHING
Danielle Blake has scored just seven points over the last two games, but has been a major factor in both wins. The 6-0 junior continues to lead Tech in nearly every statistical category: scoring (12.3 per game), rebounding (7.4 per game), assists (94), blocks (58) and steals (51).

3-POINT SHOOTERS
Michigan Tech has two players currently shooting better than 44.0 percent from 3-point range. Jillian Ritchie (44.2) and Kelli Guy (44.2) are both within range to make Tech's top-10 list for season 3-point shooting. The school record is 50.4 (Angela Guisfredi 2010-11), but 10th is 44.1 percent.

SERIES VS. GRAND VALLEY STATE
Michigan Tech will try for a third straight win against Grand Valley State when the teams meet Saturday (Mar. 7). The Huskies swept the regular season series with a 61-52 victory in Houghton and a 57-41 triumph in Allendale. Tech is 46-31 against GVSU all-time including a 5-1 mark in GLIAC Tournament meetings.

WHERE TECH RANKS (as of 3/3/15)
Category    Value    In GLIAC    In Nation
Assist/TO Ratio    1.36    1    3
Turnovers/Game    10.9    2    2
3FG Pct    38.2    2    8
Free Throw Pct    77.5    2    14
Scoring Defense    57.4    1    15
Fewest Fouls/Gm    15.3    2    17
Blocks/Game    4.6    1    20

COACH CAMERON
Kim Cameron has coached the Huskies to a 116-30 record (.795) during her five seasons leading the Tech women's basketball program. She is the first Division II head coach in Tech history to lead a team to a national title game appearance (2011) and was the GLIAC and Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2011. Cameron-coached teams have claimed two GLIAC North Division titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice.