PREVIEW: Huskies collide with 'Cats

HOUGHTON, Mich. - The stage is set for a marquee matchup between Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan in women's basketball Saturday at 3 p.m. at Berry Events Center. The Huskies (11-3, 5-1) drive East having won seven of their last eight, including a win over No. 19 ranked Ferris State in December.

Like Tech, the Wildcats (10-5, 5-1) collected road wins against Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State and moved up to No. 7 in the D2SIDA Midwest Region rankings. MTU stayed at No. 4 having crossed the mid-point of the regular season. 

Saturday's doubleheader with men's basketball is on radio Mix 93.5 FM WKMJ and online at pasty.net. TV6 will be on the air for both games with Dave Ellis on television play-by-play.

Deadlocked in second place in the GLIAC standings behind No. 4 nationally ranked Grand Valley State, both squads benefitted from multiple returning starters this fall. Junior guard Makaylee Kuhn (guard - Hilbert, Wisconsin) leads the 'Cats and ranks seventh in the conference in scoring at 15.4 points per game in her fourth collegiate season.

Kuhn tallied 29 points in two meetings with the Huskies last season. Her recent form has been good, with 17 points in a 56-52 victory at SVSU Saturday and 10 points in a 56-52 overtime win at Wayne State.

The Huskies counter well with senior guard Ellie Mackay (Novi, Michigan). In her fifth season at starting guard, Mackay leads Tech with 13.7 points per game. She marked her third game of 20 or more points in a 63-53 win over Saginaw Valley State Thursday, followed by another 13 points in an 86-71 result at Wayne State Saturday.

Mackay compiled 27 points in two matchups last year. As a fifth year senior, she ranks third in Tech lore with 1,661 career points. Michigan Tech has never lost to Northern Michigan in Mackay's tenure. Just like MTU football in the Miner's Cup last fall, Tech women's basketball seeks its 12th straight win in the rivalry this weekend.

LAST TIME AGAINST NORTHERN MICHIGAN

Isabella Lenz led Tech to a 68-49 win at Berry Events Center on January 31, 2022 with 13 points (6-8) but defense was the biggest reason for victory. Michigan Tech surrendered just 18 first half points, nabbed seven steals, and three blocks, while holding a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio (16-8). 

The teams collected 26 rebounds apiece and Kuhn led the NMU offense with 10 points.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

Both teams ended their 2021-22 campaigns in the GLIAC Tournament. The Wildcats fell in the quarterfinals to Grand Valley State 71-52. The Lakers were ranked No. 2 in the country at the time. Michigan Tech servived overtime against Northwood, but bowed out in a semifinal matchup with Grand Valley State 71-57. Tech returned all five starters in 2022-23, leading to their selection to finish third in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll under fifth year head coach Sam Clayton.

Junior guard Alex Rondorf checks in a No. 5 in the league in rebounds (8.1 rpg) while junior forward Sara Dax ranks second in shooting percentage (54.4-percent). 

Early season success can be attributed to responsibility with the basketball as the team ranks ninth in Division II in turnovers (12.6) and 25th in assist to turnover ratio (1.11).

LENZ CONTINUES TO EXCEL

Lenz (Prescott, Wisconsin) has shown no signs of a sophomore slump following her selection as GLIAC Freshman of the Year. She has started each off the last six games and posted a team-high 18 points in 33 minutes at Wayne State. 

Lenz has a pair of 20-point games, most recently at Walsh on December 31. Lenz has improved from 5.0 points per outing in 2021-22 to 13.4 points this season, with an increase in nearly 10 minutes on the floor.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS

After posting a sub five hundred record last season, NMU was projected to take seventh place in the standings. Eleven returners on the roster have helped the team exceed expectations so far. In addition to offense, Kuhn also leads the team in rebounds (7.5 rpg) and assists (43). While she has excelled in the paint, Kuhn has shown slight vulnerability beyond the arc (4-29, 14-percent). 

The Wildcats started the year with three straight non-conference victories. Then both MTU and NMU came up short against Southwest Minnesota State in mid-November. 

The 'Cats are under new leadership this season after the hiring of Casey Thousand as head coach. Thousand returned to NMU after serving as assistant coach from 2016-18 and associate head coach in 2018-19. The past three years, Thousand was head coach at University of Illinois-Springfield. UIS held a 17-11 record in 2021-22, its best record in 23 years.

The Wildcats dipped into the transfer portal in the off-season, adding sophomores Abi Fraaza (Minnesota Crookston) and Hallie Marshall (Hope College). Fraaza has nine appearances off the bench and scores at a rate of 7.8 points per game.

Sophomore starting guard Mackenzie Holzwart (Howards Grove, Wisconsin) has far surpassed her 3.3 points total a year ago and ranks second on the squad through 15 games with 9.2 points and 5.5 rebounds.

IN A HISTORICAL SENSE

In the first season of Michigan Tech women's basketball, Northern Michigan won their only meeting 87-37 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Since then, the Huskies hold the edge 53-52.

The teams have not met in the playoffs since 2013-14. Northern Michigan won their only meeting the NCAA Divison II Tournament in 1997-98 (74-58). 

D2SIDA MIDWEST REGION RANKINGS (WEEK 8)

Receiving Votes: Maryville

GLIAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• Grand Valley fifth-year guard Emily Spitzley played a big role in leading the Lakers to a 2-0 record this past weekend.
• Spitzley averaged 21.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in wins over Parkside and Purdue Northwest. 
• In the win over Parkside, Spitzley went off for a career-high 31 points, shooing 61.1% from the field and 55.6% from three, while adding seven rebounds and three assists.
• In that game, she became the 27th Laker in program history to surpass the 1,000 point mark in her career. 

MATCHUP COMPARISON