PREVIEW: Huskies Open 2nd Half of GLIAC Schedule at Northwood and Saginaw Valley State

Michigan Tech Game Notes (PDF)
Thurs. Jan. 30 • 8:00 p.m. at Northwood • Sat. Feb. 1 • 3 p.m. at Saginaw Valley State
Michigan Tech (14-5, 8-3 GLIAC) at Northwood (9-10, 4-7 GLIAC) and Saginaw Valley State (12-7, 6-5 GLIAC)
Radio: Mix93 FM WKMJ (Kirk McDonnell)
Video Stream: https://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mbkb/2019-20/schedule
Audio Stream: Pasty.net
Live Stats: https://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mbkb/2019-20/schedule

2019-20 WEEK 11 IN REVIEW
Michigan Tech came away with a split in two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games last week on the road. The Huskies fell to No. 11 Grand Valley State 95-93 in a hard-fought battle that went to overtime Thursday. Tech bounced back Saturday to grind out a 69-61 victory at Davenport to close out the weekend. The Huskies are 14-5 overall and 8-3 in the GLIAC going into games three and four of the road trip this week at Northwood and Saginaw Valley State.

In Thursday's game at Grand Valley State, Senior Kyle Monroe broke a school and GLIAC record for most points in a game with 53 and tied the school record for most three-point baskets made with 10. Monroe posted 44 of his points in the second half and overtime. Monroe had 50 points at Saginaw Valley State on February 8, 2018 and Larry Grimes poured in 50 points against St. Cloud State on January 29, 1972. Monroe finished the night making 20 of 28 shots from the field while going 10 for 13 from three-point land. Monroe tied Ben Stelzer's record for most triples in a game which was established at Hillsdale on December 14, 2013. Junior Dawson Bilski followed Monroe with 12 points while junior Tommy Lucca chipped in nine points and dished out seven assists. Junior Isaac Appleby added three points and pulled down a team best seven rebounds, including four on the offensive end of the floor.

In the win at Davenport on Saturday, Monroe powered the Tech offense once again with a game high 23 points while also posting nine rebounds on the stat sheet. Sophomore Owen White fired in 16 points and grabbed six rebounds while Bilski rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points, six boards, and a team high six assists. Freshman Eric Carl chipped in eight points and Appleby tacked on seven points and a team high 11 rebounds. The Huskies closed out Saturday's victory making 24 of 51 shots from the field (47.1%), were 8 for 19 from three-point range (42.1%), and converted 13 of 23 chances at the free throw line (56.5%). Tech out-rebounded Davenport 43-28, had 12 second chance points, and 26 points in the paint. The Huskies had great production from the bench Saturday, with the reserves accounting for 19 of the total points.

MONROE EARNS 5TH GLIAC NORTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD
Michigan Tech senior forward Kyle Monroe was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North Division Player of the Week for the fifth time this season, announced by the conference office Monday. Monroe powered the Huskies in scoring in both games at Grand Valley State and Davenport.

Monroe, who hails from Green Bay, Wisconsin, had a huge week for the Huskies, setting a single game Tech and GLIAC record for points with 53 at Grand Valley State Thursday night. He followed that up with 23 points in a 69-61 victory at Davenport on Saturday. Monroe made good on 27 of 40 shots from the field (67.5%) and converted 13 of 18 chances from three-point range (72.2%). In addition, Monroe combined for 12 rebounds and dished out three assists. On the season, Monroe leads the Huskies and the GLIAC with a 22.8 points per game scoring average. He is also averaging 6.4 rebounds per game this season.

MONROE BREAKS GLIAC CAREER SCORING RECORD
Monroe has set a new benchmark for career points in the GLIAC record books. During the course of his four year career, Monroe has scored 1,661 points in GLIAC regular season games, which the conference record book is based on. Monroe currently has 266 points in conference contests this season alone and also holds the GLIAC single season scoring record with 562 points in 2017-18. The previous career record holder was Joe Graessle of Tiffin with 1,575 points from 2010-14.

GLIAC PRESEASON POLL
Michigan Tech was picked to finish third in the GLIAC North Division for the third consecutive year, pulling in 45 points and one first place vote in the Preseason Coaches' Poll announced Wednesday by the conference office. Ferris State once again sits atop the North Division with 55 points and six first place votes. Parkside checks in just behind the Bulldogs with 51 points and five first place nods. Lake Superior State is slated to finish fourth with 33 points, Purdue Northwest fifth with 17 points, and Northern Michigan sixth with 15 points.

Over in the South Division, defending GLIAC Champion Davenport University is penciled in to the No. 1 spot with 61 points and 11 of the 12 first place votes. Ashland University is second with 50 points and one first place vote while Grand Valley State holds down the No. 3 position with 39 points. Northwood is fourth with 26 points, Saginaw Valley State is fifth with 24 points, and Wayne State is sixth with 16 points to round out the bottom three teams in the poll.

GLIAC STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Through the first 19 games of the season, the Huskies are ranked near the top of the GLIAC statistical rankings in a number of categories. Tech is fifth in the conference in free throw shooting percentage (74.4%) and first in the GLIAC in three-point baskets made per game at 10.4. The Huskies are also first in the GLIAC in overall field goal percentage (49.4%) and first in three-point shooting percentage (42.3%). Tech checks in second in assists per game (19.0) and second in fewest turnovers per game (9.5). The defense is seventh in fewest points allowed per game at 69.8 and are sixth in steals at 6.1 each time the team takes the floor. The Huskies are second in the GLIAC in scoring at 82.1 points per game. Monroe leads the GLIAC in scoring at 22.8 points per game, 10th in rebounding at 6.4 boards per contest, and ninth in free throw shooting percentage (80.0%). Lucca is second in the conference in assists per game (6.6) and first in assist to turnover ratio (3.8). Three Tech players are ranked in the top four in three-point shooting percentage with Eric Carl (55.3%, 1st), Owen White (46.9%, 3rd), and Dawson Bilski (45.9%, 4th) landing in that group of players.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Northwood is 9-10 overall and 4-7 in the GLIAC coming into Thursday's game against the Huskies. The Timberwolves are 5-3 at home and are coming off a 73-71 victory at Wayne State this past Saturday. Northwood's defense ranks third in the conference in both blocks per game (3.9) and steals per contest (8.1). Trey McBride leads the offense with an 11.7 points per game scoring average followed by Ja'Kavien Lewis with a 10.9 points per game scoring average. McBride is also the top rebounder on the club with a 4.9 boards per game average. The Timberwolves are averaging 66.7 points per game while allowing 69.7 points per game to opponents. The Huskies lead the all-time series with Northwood 55-19, having won the first meeting of the season between the two clubs 93-59 on December 7 in Houghton.

Saginaw Valley State is 12-7 overall and 6-5 in the GLIAC going into a Thursday battle at home with Northern Michigan. The Cardinals split their conference games last week, defeating Wayne State 71-57 while falling to Ashland 72-56. Saginaw Valley State leads the GLIAC in free throw shooting at 76.8 percent and is fifth in scoring at 74.2 points per game. Myles Belyeu pours in 20.0 points per game to power the offense followed by Malik Ellison at 17.4 points per game. Belyeu reels in 7.4 rebounds per night while Ellison dishes out 3.1 assists per contest. The Huskies lead the all-time series with the Cardinals 44-43, having prevailed 79-57 on December 5 at the SDC Gym in Houghton.

COACH LUKE
Kevin Luke, the winningest coach in Michigan Tech basketball history is in his 26th season leading the Huskies in 2019-20. He has earned a plethora of accolades since his appointment as the program's 11th head coach in May of 1994. Luke has guided the Huskies to five Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles, earned eight NCAA Tournament berths and won his 300th game in a 74-72 victory over Grand Valley State on March 2, 2011. He reached the 400 win mark on January 19th, 2017 with an 83-72 win over Northwood at home. He owns an impressive 433-286 overall record, including a 289-196 mark in conference play. His winning percentage of .602 ranks as the best in Husky hoop annals.

UP NEXT
The Huskies return home to the friendly confines of the SDC Gym next week to host Purdue Northwest and Parkside on Thursday and Saturday. The Pride are 7-12 overall and 2-9 in the GLIAC and play host to Grand Valley State and Davenport this week. Parkside is 10-9 overall and 6-5 in conference contests and will entertain Davenport along with Grand Valley State this week as well.