Tech handles Concordia St. Paul for third straight win
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Concordia-St. Paul | 12 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 54 |
|
Michigan Tech | 14 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 64 |
HOUGHTON, Mich. - Alex Rondorf notched a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds helping Michigan Tech to a 64-54 win over Concordia St. Paul in non-conference basketball Tuesday afternoon at SDC Gymnasium. Rondorf shot 7-for-13 from the field and added two assists and two steals in the Huskies' third straight victory to start the 2022-23 campaign. Concordia St. Paul (0-1) dropped their first game of the season after splitting a pair of exhibitions.
"Overall, I thought we played really hard," said head coach Sam Clayton. "We defended really hard and took away most of their tendencies. It was good to see us take a step forward defensively, which I felt we needed to improve from Saturday's game. I thought Alex had an awesome day creating for us in multiple ways. It's the way she cuts and screens and rebounds for us that really make her a great player."
The Huskies shot 38-percent (22-58) overall, including 30-percent from beyond the arc (8-27). Katelyn Meister made it to double figures with 13 points on 5 of 10 shooting with a pair of steals and a pair of blocks. Tech also committed 14 turnovers compared to 17 by the Golden Bears.
"Offensively, we were just off tonight," Clayton said. "We got some open threes and layups that we missed. But our ball movement and cuts at times were really good. We still have to take care of the ball a little better on Thursday."
Sarah Kuma led the Golden Bears with 17 points and Lindsey Becher was effective on defense with five blocks. CSP shot 39-percent overall (22-57), including 23-percent (4-17) from outside. Michigan Tech won the boards battle 37-36.
After leading the first quarter 14-12, the Huskies opened up a 34-15 advantage by halftime, buoyed by a pair of quick steals and layups in the fast break midway through the second quarter. Ellie Mackay converted the second on a 3-point play as she exploded into the lane through contact.
"That was huge," Rondorf said. "Transition comes down to hustle and heart. You want to run the floor and make them pay if they can't get back. That is something that we can control and it's a big part of our game."
The Huskies maintained their edge in the second half. Mady Draak provided a spark off the bench on defense. Isabella Lenz added eight points in 26 minutes with a team-high five assists.
"I think defensively, we really stepped it up in the second half," Rondorf said. "We started off a little bit slow but our offense is always good. We just needed to stay confident and trust ourselves and our teammates."
With wins over William Jewell College and Lewis University at the GLVC Crossover Tournament last week, the Huskies head to Southwest Minnesota State on Thursday undefeated. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Tech is in the midst of a stretch of five games in ten days, which ends Saturday at Minnesota Crookston.
