PREVIEW: Huskies On the Road at Davenport and No. 10 Grand Valley State

Michigan Tech Game Notes (PDF)
Thurs. Feb. 21 • 5:30 p.m. at Davenport • Sat. Feb. 23 • 1 p.m. at Grand Valley St.
Michigan Tech (18-7, 14-3 GLIAC) at Davenport (5-19, 3-14 GLIAC) and #10 Grand Valley St. (23-2, 16-1 GLIAC)
Radio: WKMJ Mix 93 FM (Kirk McDonnell)
Video Stream: http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/wbkb/2018-19/schedule
Audio Stream: Pasty.net
Live Stats: http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/wbkb/2018-19/schedule

WEEK 14 IN REVIEW
The Huskies grabbed two more victories this past week to extend their winning streak to eight games. Tech has also claimed wins in 11 of their last 12 contests while clinching a home game in the quarterfinal round of the upcoming Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament. Tech began week 14 by holding off Lake Superior State Thursday night 74-63. Senior Elizabeth Kelliher powered the Huskies with a game high 19 points, sinking 8 of her 9 shot attempts from the field. She also produced seven rebounds and blocked a season high six shots in the victory. Junior Abbie Botz followed with 14 points and a team high eight rebounds while sophomore Cassidy Trotter and junior Ellie Welsh each chipped in 12 points. Freshman Sloane Zenner rounded out the double digit scorers with 10 points and Trotter closed the night with a team high five assists.

On Saturday at Ferris State, the Huskies outscored the Bulldogs 25-8 in the second quarter to pull away for a 67-49 victory. Four Tech players recorded 12 or more points in Saturday's game, led by Trotter with a career high 20 points. Her previous career high of 18 points ironically was set against Ferris State in the first meeting of the season between the two clubs on January 10th in Houghton. Trotter also added two rebounds, four assists, and two steals to the stat sheet. Botz and Kelliher each fired in 12 points and collected double-doubles with 12 and 11 rebounds respectively. Botz finished the day with three assists, two steals and a pair of blocked shots. Welsh chipped in 13 points and on defense limited Ferris State's top player Alexis Bush to just one point. Welsh had four steals to go along with two assists and two rebounds.

11 OF 12 FOR THE HUSKIES
The Huskies are playing some of their best basketball of the season as the team gets set to embark on week 15 of the 2018-19 campaign. Tech has also won eight contests in a row, beginning with a 70-44 win at home over Davenport on January 19th. The only setback in the stretch of 12 games was a 53-35 loss to 10th ranked Grand Valley State in Houghton on January 17th. The Huskies could potentially extend their winning streak to 10 games with two road victories this week. The last time Tech won 10 consecutive games or more was January 8, 2015 to Feb. 14, 2015 when the club reeled off 13 straight wins. That season, the Huskies claimed the GLIAC Tournament Championship and advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinals.

GLIAC STATISTICAL RANKINGS
The Huskies are 25 games into the season and continue to rank near the top in multiple GLIAC statistical categories. The Huskies are fourth in the conference in scoring at 65.6 points per game, fifth in the conference in assists per game (14.4), third in opponents field goal percentage (36.2%), and first in opponents three-point percentage (27.8%). The Huskies are third in points allowed per game (55.8), fourth in field goals made per game (25.0), third in field goal percentage (43.7%), fourth in three-point baskets made per game (7.3) and second in blocks per game (4.8). Kelliher checks in at No. 4 in the rankings in field goal percentage (58.7%) while freshman Ellie Mackay is fourth in three-point shooting percentage (41.8%). Trotter is sixth in the GLIAC in assists per game (3.7) and junior Ellie Welsh is 17th in assists per game (2.3). Botz ranks seventh in the conference in rebounding (8.3) while Kelliher is fifth in blocks per game (2.0).

SERIES VS DAVENPORT AND GRAND VALLEY STATE
Michigan Tech has secured wins in each of the first three games in the all-time series with Davenport. Two of the games have been at home with one neutral site meeting in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan last season. Thursday night's game will be the first between the two clubs in Davenport's home facility. Earlier this season, the Huskies connected on 13 three-point baskets and the defense forced 25 turnovers in a 70-44 win at the SDC Gym in Houghton. Mackay led the Tech offense that day with 14 points and it was the first victory in the current eight game winning streak.

Michigan Tech holds a 48-30 advantage in the overall series with Grand Valley State. The Huskies have suffered two straight losses at the hands of the Lakers coming into Saturday's game. Grand Valley State limited Tech to 35 points in a 53-35 decision back on January 17th in Houghton. Mackay had a team high nine points that night to pace Tech in scoring.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Davenport has struggled record wise this season and owns an overall record of 5-19 and 3-14 in the GLIAC going into Thursday's contest with Tech. The Panthers are in the midst of a nine game losing streak, but nearly managed to snap it in a 77-73 loss at Saginaw Valley State this past Saturday. Davenport has recorded four of their five wins this season at home. The Panthers lead the GLIAC in free throws made per game at 13.3 while ranking second in total free throw attempts per night (18.4). Davenport has two players averaging over 12 points per game, powered by Jenna Falkenberg with a 15.2 points per game scoring average. Falkenberg hauls down 9.5 rebounds per game which is fourth best in the conference.  She also produces 2.3 blocks each time she takes the floor. Toni Grace follows Falkenberg in scoring thanks to a 12.7 points per game average. As a team, the Panthers are recording 61.5 points per game, but surrendering 72.9 points per outing to opponents.

Grand Valley State has won seven games in a row going into a Thursday showdown with Northern Michigan University. The Lakers boast an overall record of 23-2 and 16-1 in the GLIAC while entering the week ranked 11th in the latest WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Their only conference loss of the season came at the hands of the Wildcats 56-43 in Marquette on January 19th. Grand Valley State is second in the league in scoring at 76.3 points per game and on top of that the defense is second in the GLIAC in fewest points per game allowed at 53.0. Cassidy Boensch powers the offense with a 20.4 points per game scoring average which puts her atop the GLIAC statistical rankings as well. She also leads the league in rebounding at 12.3 boards per night while knocking down 59.7 percent of her shots from the field. Jenn DeBoer chips in 15.5 points per game and Maddie Dailey tosses in 10.0 points per game heading into week 15 of the 2018-19 season.

COACH HOYT
Sam Hoyt was named as the ninth head coach of the Michigan Tech women's basketball program, Director of Athletics Suzanne Sanregret announced Tuesday (May 29). Hoyt returns to Tech from the University of Sioux Falls where she served as an assistant coach. Hoyt was a standout player for the Huskies, helping lead the program to the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship game as well as garnering multiple individual awards, including All-American Honorable Mention honors. Hoyt brings a wealth of coaching experience to Tech from both the NCAA Division I and II levels. In Hoyt's most recent stop at the University of Sioux Falls, she was involved in all facets of the program. She played an integral role in player development, served as the recruiting coordinator, created scouting reports, ran summer camps, and had responsibilities for film breakdown. Hoyt is Michigan Tech's seventh all-time leading scorer, amassing 1,434 career points during her four-year career which spanned 124 games. Hoyt owns the second highest career free throw percentage in program history at 84.8 percent and is tied for the second highest single season free throw percentage at 89.5 percent. The Huskies boasted an overall record of 103-22 during her career as a player.

NEXT UP
The Huskies return home to close out the regular season in the SDC Gym against rival Northern Michigan. It will also be Senior Day with the Huskies honoring their senior class in between games. The Wildcats also play Davenport and Grand Valley State on the road this week.