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Posted: Nov 21, 2019

PREVIEW: Huskies Host Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth

Ellie Welsh shooting the basketball

Michigan Tech Game Notes (PDF)
Fri. Nov. 22 • 5 PM vs Concordia-St. Paul • Sun. Nov. 24 • 1 PM vs Minnesota Duluth
Michigan Tech (2-3) vs Concordia-St. Paul (1-2) and Minnesota Duluth (2-3)
 Radio: WKMJ Mix 93 FM (Mitch Lake)
Video Stream: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/mtu/
 Audio Stream: Pasty.net
Live Stats: http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/wbkb/2019-20/schedule

 2019-20 WEEK TWO IN REVIEW
 Michigan Tech wrapped up week two of the season on Monday with an impressive 80-75 victory over Minnesota State on the road. The Huskies suffered a couple of tough losses to St. Cloud State Friday 65-61 and No. 18 Minnesota State-Moorhead Saturday 76-50 at the MSU-Moorhead Classic Tournament. Monday's win over the Mavericks gave Tech a much needed boost of momentum going into Friday's home opener against Concordia-St. Paul.

Friday's contest against St. Cloud State was close throughout, with neither side owning a lead of more than eight points over the course of 40 minutes. The Huskies had four players with 10 points or more Friday night, led by sophomore Sloane Zenner with 12 after firing in 5 of 9 shot attempts from the field. Junior Cassidy Trotter, senior Ellie Welsh, and sophomore Ellie Mackay each chipped in 10 points while senior Abbie Botz reeled in a team high six rebounds. Trotter had four assists and six steals with junior Baillie McGirk tacking on nine points and an additional four assists.

On Saturday, MSU-Moorhead pretty much led from start to finish. Trotter led the Huskies with 14 points, two assists, and two rebounds. She was successful on 4 of 7 field goal attempts and made six free throws for Tech. Trotter earned a spot on the All-Classic Team.

The Huskies were able to construct a 44-24 advantage at halftime at Minnesota State Monday night and withstood a late charge by the Mavericks in the second half. Mackay powered the Huskies with 25 points followed by Botz with 15 points and a team high nine rebounds. Zenner tossed in 12 points and had eight rebounds with McGirk rounding out the double-digit scorers with 11 points and five rebounds. Trotter chipped in three points and dished out a team high six assists.

GLIAC STATISTICAL RANKINGS
 Even though the Huskies are only a few games into the season, they rank near the top of the conference in a number of statistical categories. The Huskies are second in the conference in fewest turnovers per game (12.4). Tech is fourth in successful three-point baskets per contest (8.6) and third in three-point attempts this per game this season (26.4). The Huskies also check in at No.4 in free throw shooting percentage at 71.2. Mackay is currently ranked 20th in the GLIAC in scoring at 11.2 points per game with Botz sixth in the conference in rebounds per game (6.6). Trotter enters this weekend ninth in the GLIAC in assists per game at 3.4.

GLIAC PRESEASON POLL
 Michigan Tech was selected to finish first in the GLIAC North Division this year when the coaches' preseason poll was announced Thursday by the conference office. Tech earned 58 points in the poll along with eight first place votes, edging out Northern Michigan who was picked second with 53 points and four first place votes. Ferris State checked in at the No. 3 spot in the North Division with 40 points followed by Parkside with 32 points (No. 4), Lake Superior State had 19 points (No. 5), and Purdue Northwest was issued 14 points (No. 6). Over in the South Division, Grand Valley State holds the No. 1 spot with 61 points and 11 first place votes followed by Ashland University with 51 points and one first place vote. Northwood checks in at No. 3 with 38 points, Wayne State is fourth with 30 points, Davenport lands in the No. 5 spot with 20 points, and Saginaw Valley State is sixth with 16 points.

CAREER HIGHS AND FIRSTS
 Multiple Michigan Tech players had career highs or career firsts during this past weekend. Mackay helped guide the Huskies to their win on Monday night at Minnesota State with a career best 25 points on the strength of five three-point buckets which was also a career high for a single game. Her previous career high in points was 18 at Northwood University on December 1, 2018. Zenner reeled in eight rebounds at Minnesota State which is a new career mark in that category. Freshman Katelyn Meister produced double digit point totals for the first time in her career with 10 during Saturday's game against MSU-Moorhead.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
 The Huskies host Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth this weekend for the final two non-conference games of the 2019-20 schedule. They will also be the official regular season home openers for Tech in the SDC Gym. Concordia-St. Paul comes in with an overall record of 1-2 and have dropped two straight going into Friday's game. The Golden Bears defeated Missouri Western in their season opener on the road 66-59. The Golden Bears then stumbled against seventh ranked Fort Hays State 67-54 and fell to Parkside 88-75 last Friday in their first home game.

Concordia-St. Paul has four players averaging over 11 points per game. Meghan DuBois leads the group with a 15.7 points per game average followed by Danielle Schaub at 13.7 points and a team best 6.3 rebounds per contest. Riley Wheatcraft adds 12.7 points per game and Sidney Wentland drops in 11.7 points per night. As a team, the Golden Bears are scoring 65.0 points per game, but surrendering 71.3 points each time they take the floor to opponents. Michigan Tech leads the all-time series 7-3 and is currently on a two-game winning streak. The Huskies topped the Golden Bears on November 25, 2017 by the final of 83-76 in St. Paul.

Minnesota Duluth comes in to Sunday's game with an identical record of 2-3 this season. The Bulldogs lost their first three games before notching back to back wins over Northern Michigan 45-32 and Parkside 81-65 last weekend. Brooke Olson powers the Bulldogs with a 17.0 points per game scoring average while also owning the team lead in rebounding at 6.6 boards per contest. Payton Kahl tosses in just under 10 points per game with a 9.2 points per game average coming in. Minnesota Duluth is averaging 61.2 points per game as a team through five contests, but only giving up 62.6 points per game to their opponents. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 32-22, but Tech has won five in a row, including a 66-57 victory the last time the two teams played in Duluth on December 19, 2018.

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, 2018). 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. In her first season at Tech (2018-19), Hoyt guided the Huskies to a 21-9 overall record and a 16-4 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Huskies claimed their 16th GLIAC North Division/Conference title last season and were the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament.

NEXT UP
 The Huskies remain at home to begin the 2019-20 GLIAC portion of the schedule Thursday December 5 and Saturday December 7 against Saginaw Valley State and Northwood. Saginaw Valley State is currently 3-2 on the season while Northwood stands at 0-3. Thursday's game is slated for 5:30 p.m. followed by a 12 p.m. eastern time tip-off for Saturday.