Preview: Huskies prepare to host Purdue Northwest

HOUGHTON, Mich. – For the Michigan Tech men's basketball team, counting games are on the horizon, and their first test will be a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games against Purdue Northwest January 8-9 in Houghton. The Huskies enter the new season on a seven-game win streak, which began in mid-February, coalesced into their eighth conference championship, and grinded to a halt at the NCAA Midwest Regional tournament, where health concerns related to COVID-19 halted play in the middle of a long playoff quest.

Now, veteran head coach Kevin Luke (27^th season) and long-time assistant coach Josh Buettner (14^th season) command a squad featuring eight upper-classmen and six freshmen. It is likely a committee of players will need to expand their roles to help make up for the loss of all-American forward Kyle Monroe, who graduated in the spring and led the conference in scoring.

Tech finished the 2019-20 season with a record of 23-8 (14-6 GLIAC). They defeated Saginaw Valley State, Grand Valley State, and Northwood to take the conference crown in March. The Huskies also split the season series with rival Northern Michigan, including an emphatic 91-61 road victory over the Wildcats late in the spring. This year, MTU's depth could play a key factor to their success.

A year ago, the Huskies led the league in both field goal percentage (48-percent) and 3-point percentage (44-percent). In the recent pre-season coaches' poll, they were selected to take second place to Ferris State in the GLIAC North Division and received one first place vote. They head into the weekend to take on a Purdue Northwest men's basketball team which finished sixth in the north division with a record of 5-15 (10-18 overall). 

GLIAC Men's Basketball Pre-Season Coaches' Poll Release 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Pre-season all-conference selections Dawson Bilski (guard, junior) and Owen White (guard, sophomore) are expected to receive heavy minutes on the hardwood this season for Michigan Tech.

Bilski, a Michigan native earned all-GLIAC first team honors and started 31 games for Tech. He finished second on the team with 14.6 points per game and was second in the GLIAC with a 48.1 three-point shooting percentage. Bilski nabbed North Division player of the week on two occasions and set a new career high 29 points against Lake Superior State on January 16 at SDC Gymnasium. With 87 collegiate games to his credit, Bilski supplies a necessary veteran presence to the team.

White no longer flies under the radar in the conference after making the GLIAC all-defensive team in his sophomore campaign. Voted Bill Gappy Most Improved Player, White started all 31 games and recorded 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Huskies. The Rhinelander, Wisconsin native also proved capable on offense and marked a career high 27 points in Tech's semifinal victory of Grand Valley State on March 7. White is well on his way to a marked minutes increase in the new year. 

ALSO RETURNING: Eau Claire, Wisconsin senior guard Isaac Appleby managed 31 games, including 12 starts last season and was a member of the GLIAC all-defensive team. Appleby ranked second on the squad in rebounding at 5.5 boards per contest. He also notched 25 steals (second) and 15 blocks. A capable perimeter player, Appleby has 87 career games under his belt and 62 starts. 

Junior forward Trent Bell provides much needed size for the Huskies. The 6-foot-7-inch Negaunee, Michigan transplant made 28 starts last season and hauled in 3.8 rebounds per game. Bell finished second on the team with 19 blocked shots and converted 48-percent of his attempted field goals.

Sophomore Eric Carl was the first man off the bench in most situations last season for Michigan Tech. Carl played 31 games and won the Bob Olson Outstanding Newcomer Award. He fired in a career high 15 points against Algoma (Ontario) and proved himself a capable 3-point sharp shooter.

MEET THE NEWCOMERS: Luke brought in several talented true freshmen this fall, including players capable at the post position with their back to the basket. Houghton High School graduate Brad Simonsen is listed at 6-feet-6-inches and was named all upper peninsula first team as a senior as well as first team all-state division II captain. He is joined by Pete Calcaterra (Boyne City, Michigan), listed as a combo guard who helped his team to three straight district championships averaging 16 points and six rebounds per game.

Other incoming freshmen include Adam Hobson (guard, Stoughton, Wisconsin), Jason Waterman (guard, Negaunee, Michigan), and Logan Geissler (guard, Green Bay, Wisconsin). 

The Huskies have 18 regular season conference games on the modified 2020-21 calendar with regular back-to-back bouts against all opponents with the exception of Northern Michigan. The conference tournament is scheduled to begin March 6 with home teams determined by higher seeds.