SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State women's basketball team will make the trip across the Upper Peninsula to Houghton, Mich. to take on the Michigan Tech Huskies this weekend in a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) games. The first game is set for a 3:00 p.m. tip off on Friday, Jan. 22 and the series will wrap on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 1:00 p.m. Both games will be played in the SDC Gymnasium in Houghton, Mich.
Due to COVID-19 related changes in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) scheduling process for the 2021 season, teams will play a pair of games against the same opponent each weekend.
The Lakers
Through the first four games of the season, Lake Superior State has posted a 1-3 overall record in GLIAC play this season. Last weekend, the Lakers played at home for the first time this year with a pair of games against the Purdue Northwest Pride. The Lakers won the first game of the series by a final score of 60-58 and fell in the second game to the Pride, by a score of 61-52.
Through the first two weekends, the Lakers have been led by the duo of sophomore forward Mattison Rayman and sophomore transfer Margot Woughter. Rayman, who missed the team's opening series against Wayne State, averaged 15.5 points per game last weekend against Purdue Northwest. In the team's first win of the season, Rayman scored a team-leading 21 points in the game and followed with 10 points and seven rebounds in Sunday's game. In addition, Rayman leads the team in rebounds per game with 5.5.
Woughter, who has played all four games for the Lakers this season, ranks second behind Rayman in points per game with 14.0. In Sunday's game against the Pride, Woughter scored a team-leading 22 points as she went 7-for-17 in the game including 4-for-9 from the three point arc. Woughter sits in second place among her teammates in rebounds per game with 4.0.
As a team, the Lakers offense is combining for 56.3 points per game this season on a 34.8 shooting percentage and a 29.9 percentage from three. Lake Superior has recorded an average of 28.3 rebounds per game this season.
Last Season's Series
Last season, the Lakers and the Huskies played each other twice with Michigan Tech winning both meetings. The Huskies won the first game by a final score of 62-52 on Jan. 16, 2020 and added a 75-61 win against the Lakers in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium on Feb. 15, 2020.
Scouting the Huskies
Michigan Tech will continue its homestand this weekend with a pair of games against the Lakers. The Huskies are led by head coach Sam Hoyt, who is in her second season at MTU. Last season, Michigan Tech posted an 11-17 overall record (9-11 GLIAC) and was voted to finish in the second spot in the GLIAC North Division standings in the Preseason Poll.
Last weekend, the Huskies faced off against Northwood at home and split the series with the Timberwolves. Michigan Tech lost the first game by just two points, 58-56, and responded with a 67-48 win in the second game to improve to a 3-1 record this season.
The Huskies are led by the duo of Cassidy Trotter, a junior guard, and Ellie Mackay, a sophomore guard. Both Trotter and Mackay were named to the GLIAC North Division's Preseason All-Conference Team. Trotter, who was second team all-conference last season, has averaged 6.8 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game through the first four games of the season. Mackay leads the Huskies with 13.5 points per game this season while also averaging 4.0 rebounds per game.
In addition to Trotter and Mackay, Husky freshman Jordan Ludescher has had a strong start to her collegiate career with 11.3 points per game and a team-leading 5.5 rebounds per game.
As a team, the Huskies offense is combining for 62.0 points per game this season on a 41.2 shooting percentage and a 33.8 percentage from three. Michigan Tech has recorded an average of 38.3 rebounds per game this season.
Follow the Lakers
Fans will be able to purchase the stream of the games this weekend by clicking here.
Due to State of Michigan, GLIAC and Lake Superior State University mandates, fans are not currently permitted to attend any Laker sporting events. Even though spectators cannot currently attend Laker home games, there are still a number of ways that fans will be able to follow the game action. All Laker home games during the 2021 season will be available to watch live on Stretch TV. For more information or to sign up for a subscription, visit https://portal.stretchinternet.com/lssu/. Fans can also tune in to the radio broadcast on ESPN 1400, the official radio station of Laker basketball.
For more information, visit lssulakers.com
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