Tech WBB Travels to Minnesota for Weekend of Games

HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech women's basketball team continues nonconference play, heading west for tilts against NSIC foes in No. 25 nationally-ranked Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State over the weekend.

The Huskies first meet UMD on Saturday before a tilt with SCSU on Sunday. Both games are slated for a 3 p.m. tipoff. 

Of note, MTU will conclude the road trip with a Tuesday clash at Concordia-St. Paul on Tuesday (Nov. 28) at 7 p.m.

About the Bulldogs

Minnesota Duluth, who fell to the Huskies at home early in the season before falling in the National Championship game to Ashland a season ago, is off to a slow start for the 2023-24 campaign with a 2-1 record.

The Bulldogs entered the season as the No. 8 team in the country before splitting in the opening weekend with a win over Thomas More (69-59) before being thumped by Parkside (77-49). Most recently, UMD bested Minnesota State Mankato 75-64 despite suffering a season-high 31 turnovers. Minnesota Duluth did, however, shoot over 50 percent from the field at 58.5 percent. The Mavericks went a shocking 2-for-14 from three.

Taytum Rhoades led the Bulldogs with 22 points, going 9-for-9 from the charity stripe while grabbing six boards. Two additional Bulldogs saw double-figure scoring, with Taya Hakamaki posting 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, both being a team-high. Myra Moorjani chipped in 10 points and four assists.

Minnesota Duluth still has a credible defense, leading the nation with 10 blocks per game, with Rhoades averaging 4.33 blocks per game while Hakamaki adds 2.33. 

Rhoades also leads the Bulldogs in points per game, averaging 14 points, with Hakamaki (11.3) and Lexi Karge (10.0) averaging double-figure scoring.

Mandy Pearson enters her ninth season at the helm of the Bulldogs.

About the Huskies (SCSU)

St. Cloud State has only played two games so far this season, with one game per weekend to start the 2023-24 campaign 2-0. The Huskies pummeled Valley City State (77-43) on Nov. 11 before traveling to Kenosha, Wisconsin, for a 71-64 victory over Parkside on Nov. 18. 

In the win over the Rangers, the Huskies saw 30 points from the reserves, as Alana Zarneke scored 12 points, being joined by Makenna Vanzant in double-figure scoring with 10. Starters Jada Eggebrecht scored a game-high 12 points, with Dru Henning also chipping in 11 points in almost 30 minutes of action. The Huskies' win had much to do with the 27-point fourth quarter SCSU poured on, outscoring the Rangers 27-17.

Henning leads the team offensively with 11.5 points per game, as Eggebrecht joins her in double-digit scoring with 11 points. Ashley Sawicki is averaging 10.5 rebounds to lead the Huskies through two games.

SCSU is averaging 30.5 defensive rebounds per game, which ranks 25th nationally–pairing nicely with the 9.5 three-pointers per game, ranking 12th in the country.

Lori Fish is entering her 16th season at the helm of the Huskies. 

About the Huskies (Tech)

Michigan Tech takes to the road with a 3-1 record, most recently besting Southwest Minnesota State 78-65 on Thursday, (Nov. 16) before falling short against No. 1 nationally-ranked Ashland 74-67 on Sunday (Nov. 19).

Senior Alex Rondorf scored her first 20-point game of the season with 21 points in the Thursday night win over the Mustangs, grabbing eight boards to lead the Huskies in both categories. Freshman Alyssa Wypych had a career-high five rebounds in the win before chipping in a career-high 16 points against Ashland.

The Huskies shot over 50 percent in both games at 53.1 percent against SMSU and 52.0 percent against AU.

Additionally, MTU is averaging 39 rebounds per game with a rebounding margin of 13, which ranks top-20 in the nation. Rondorf leads the team with 6.8 rebounds per game, with Katelyn Meister earning a steady five rebounds per game.

Michigan Tech has seen the same starting lineup through four games, with four players in double-figure scoring led by Wypych (14.5) and Rondorf (14.3). Isabella Lenz, who scored 20 points in the season opener against William Jewell, posts 13.3 points per outing, while Meister puts up 12.3 points a game.

One Last Thing

The Huskies have shot the ball well through four games, shooting 50 percent from the field and 87.1 percent from the free-throw line, which ranks sixth and third in the nation, respectively. Additionally, MTU ranks 11th in the country in three-point percentage at a clip of .427.

Rondorf and first-year Wypych are averaging 2.25 3-pointers per game to lead the team.