Preview: #19 Huskies visit Northern Michigan with streak intact

HOUGHTON, Mich. – After notching 10 wins in a row for the first time since 2014-15, the No. 19 ranked Michigan Tech women's basketball team travels to Northern Michigan Tuesday, February 16 for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. The rivalry matchup will be broadcast on TV6/Fox UP and on radio via Mix 93.5. Tuesday marks the second GLIAC regular season matchup between the two squads. Michigan Tech took the first 55-46 January 26 in Houghton.

FOR THE HUSKIES: Despite playing in a double-overtime game against Saginaw Valley State, Michigan Tech still boasts the seventh best defense in NCAA Division II. The Huskies have held opponents to just 53.4 points per game, which tops Grand Valley State for the top position in the GLIAC. One reason for the team's recent success is depth. Ten players came off the bench to score 39 points Friday night against Davenport. Among them, Alex Rondorf marked 18 points and Sara Dax had 11. Dax tacked on eight more points Saturday for 19 total on the weekend. Tessa Leece, Aspen Michelin, and Kylie Mogen have also contributed meaningful minutes as of late. MTU leading scorer Ellie Mackay posted 28 points against the Panthers and shot 7-for-14 Saturday with three 3-point makes. Mackay ranks seventh in the GLIAC with 15.1 points per game and she continues to make a large impact on defense.

Senior Baillie McGirk was efficient last week for the Huskies. With 22 points against Davenport, McGirk shot 10-for-16 (62.5-percent) from the floor and 2-4 from 3-point range. Fellow senior Cassidy Trotter has quietly assembled another strong season on both ends of the court. She ranks second on the squad with 3.4 assists per game. Trotter had 17 points, 11 rebounds over the weekend and averages 29.5 minutes per game.

LAST TIME OUT: Friday, Alex Rondorf made all six of her 3-point attempts to help Michigan Tech to an 80-58 victory over Davenport at SDC Gymnasium. The Huskies used an 18-0 run in the first half to draw separation and never looked back.

The following day, MTU efficiently shot their way to an 83-61 win, their 10^th in a row. Mackay led all scorers with 20 points and Jordan Ludescher frequently found space in the lane for 17 points. Tech shot 54-percent (32-for-59) overall with 48 points in the paint

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS: Despite a pair of recent losses to No. 8 Grand Valley State, Northern Michigan (7-6) kept their second-place position in the GLIAC North Division this week. The Wildcats are 5-2 away from Marquette and average 60.0 points per game. Friday night, NMU lost 61-34 at home and trailed by 15 at halftime. The Wildcats mustered just six points in the third quarter and eight points in the fourth. NMU's offense struggled again Saturday in a 58-32 loss. No player reached double-figures and the Wildcats shot 27.9-percent overall.

Tech will have to contain prolific scorer sophomore guard Makaylee Kuhn (Hilbert, Wisconsin), whose 18.6 points per contest is fourth best in the GLIAC. Kuhn posted 23 points in the first meeting between the rivals, but Tech still prevailed in Houghton. Kuhn also leads the team in rebounds (6.7 rpg) and assists (2.8 apg). 

Last year, Northern Michigan finished 13-16 overall, 10-10 in the GLIAC and the Wildcats fell 80-67 in the conference quarterfinals to Wisconsin-Parkside. Head coach Troy Mattson has been at the helm of the program since 2005. He has helped NMU qualify for the GLIAC tournament nine straight seasons.