Preview: Tech visits Saginaw Valley State

HOUGHTON, Mich. – Playing their best basketball so far, Michigan Tech visits Saginaw Valley State this Friday and Saturday with games at 5 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively against the Cardinals. MTU women's basketball is on a six-game win streak, capped by a pair of road victories over Ferris State to end the month of January. Fans can access a livestream of the game HERE with live stats also available. The Huskies are 8-1 overall and 8-1 in the GLIAC, first place in the North Division. Meanwhile, Saginaw Valley State (4-5, 4-5) is coming off a home split against Wisconsin-Parkside.

TECH DEFENDS: Michigan Tech is in the midst of a four-game road trip which began at Ferris State. Suffocating defense has been the team's strength all season and entering the week, the Huskies ranked first in the conference and second among all NCAA Division II teams for scoring defense, with just 50.3 points allowed to opponents per contest. Only Lubbock Christian (9-0) has stymied more opponent shooters, allowing 47.9 ppg. The Huskies also top the GLIAC in defensive field goal percentage and defensive 3-point percentage (fifth and sixth in NCAA Division II respectively). 

Tech also protects the basketball on offense and ranks 38^th in Division II assist to turnover ratio (+.98). They rank fourth in the conference. Players with the most minutes on the court include Ellie Mackay (31.4 mpg), Cassidy Trotter (27.8 mpg), Bailie McGirk (25.4 mpg), and Jordan Ludescher (25.1 mpg). The Huskies have held opponents to less than 50 points in five outings and under 60 points every game so far.

MACKAY EARNS GLIAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Michigan Tech senior guard Ellie Mackay claimed GLIAC Women's Basketball North Division Player of the Week honors for the second time in her career on Monday.

Mackay was outstanding on both ends of the court and helped the Huskies to three wins this week. She totaled 66 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and one block and averaged a team high 33 minutes per game. Tuesday, Mackay shot 54-percent (6-for-11) from the field and 3 of 4 from 3-point range for 18 points. 

Friday afternoon, Mackay shot 54-percent (6-for-11) again for 17 points in a road win over Ferris State 66-51. In the Huskies most recent contest, Mackay marked a season high 31 points after shooting 10-for-21 overall with three triples on seven attempts. Mackay's stalwart defense has been on display this season as she added three steals this week. She was also nearly perfect from the free throw line after making 13 of 14 attempts.

Mackay has scored 15 or more points on five occasions this winter and leads the team with 15.2 points per game. 

STAT LEADERS:

Points: Ellie Mackay, 15.2 ppg

Rebounds: Jordan Ludescher, 6.4 rpg

Assists: Baillie McGirk, 3.2 apg

Blocks: Kaitlyn Meister, 1.1 bpg

Steals: Cassidy Trotter, 2.2

LAST SERIES: Comprehensive defense and support down the lineup helped Michigan Tech defeat Ferris State 66-51 Friday afternoon in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball at Wink Arena. Mackay led the team with 17 points, four assists, and four rebounds and the bench also contributed 26 points.  Sara Dax, complimented Mackay and played 14 minutes, scoring 10 points off the bench. Alex Rondorf posted seven points and four rebounds for the Huskies and Jordan Ludescher chipped in eight points and seven boards.

Mackay scored 31 points and Michigan Tech used an impressive first quarter to sweep Ferris State 63-55 at Jim Wink Arena Saturday in GLIAC women's basketball. It was the sixth straight victory for the Huskies and a two-game road sweep over Ferris State. 

The Huskies opened the game with an impressive 14-0 run and led 22-9 at the end of the first quarter. Over the nearly seven-minute stretch, Mackay scored 10, including a pair of 3-pointers. Ferris State stormed back with a 19-9 run in the second quarter and narrowed the margin to just three points by halftime. Several critical defensive stops late in the fourth quarter and two made free throws by Mackay helped MTU stay ahead and secure the victory.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS: Saginaw Valley State is tied for fourth place in the GLIAC South Division standings with 12 points in nine games. The Cardinals rank 11^th in offense (60.6 points for), 6^th in defense (65 points against), ninth in 3-point percentage (29.1-percent), and ninth in rebounding (34.3 rpg). Last season, SVSU finished 12-17 overall (8-12 GLIAC) and lost in the conference quarterfinals to No. 2 Ashland 79-55. They were selected to take third place in the south in the GLIAC pre-season coaches' poll with a young group and zero seniors on the roster.

Head coach Jenny Pruitt is in her second season with eight returning players, including last year's freshman of the year and leading scorer Kaitlyn Zarycki. Zarycki is off to a good start with team highs in points (13.3), rebounds (6.2), and assists (2.9). Junior Maddie Maloney played the most minutes (36.8) and scored 9.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for the Cardinals.

Last weekend, Saginaw Valley State lost 65-55 to Wisconsin-Parkside Friday night at home but bounced back for a 76-69 win the following day. The Cardinals shot 37.9-percent and Zarycki tallied 18 points in the victory.

AROUND THE LEAGUE: WBCA No. 15 Grand Valley State (8-1) leads Ashland (6-3), and Northwood (6-3) in the South Division. The Huskies remain atop the North with Northern Michigan (6-3) trailing two games behind. Ashland's Annie Roshak helped the Eagles to wins over Wayne State and Davenport and was named South Division Player of the Week. Roshak marked 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.7 steals per game. Grand Valley State and Ashland have each won their last four games.