Huskies gut out road win vs. Cardinals
UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. — No. 19 Michigan Tech held off a scrappy Saginaw Valley State team 69-61 today in GLIAC women’s basketball at O’Neill Arena. The Huskies withstood the Cardinals’ hot shooting at 56 percent and a second half run to improve to 15-1 overall and 11-1 in league play.
SVSU (6-12, 1-11 GLIAC) blistered the nets in the first half with 61 percent shooting, but Tech was able to stay in the game with nine steals and 16 points from senior Jillian Ritchie.
The Huskies held a 35-28 advantage at the intermission.
The Cardinals closed within four in the first minute of the second stanza before Brenna Heise and Danielle Blake made baskets for an eight-point margin.
The real charge from SVSU came over the next four minutes as the hosts went on an 11-2 run, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in addition to a three-point play during the stretch.
Kelli Guy’s 3-pointer with just under 10 minutes tied the game at 48-all.
Tech then forced eight turnovers down the stretch including a pair of shot-clock violations. Heise and Ritchie combined for 10 straight Huskies points for a 56-50 lead with 6:33 to play. It was a five-point game with 2:30 to play, but Tech hit enough free throws to hold off the Cardinals.
“I’m just happy to get the win,” said Tech coach Kim Cameron. “We knew they were going to be tough to handle in this building. It wasn’t pretty, but we got the job done. Sometimes, that’s all that matters.”
Ritchie finished with a game-high 20 points. Heise (16) and Blake (15) also reached double figures.
SVSU held a 31-20 rebounding advantage, but turned the ball over 14 more times than the Huskies. Tech corralled 14 steals—eight more than its season average.
The Cardinals were led in scoring by Emily Wendling’s 18.
Michigan Tech has now won six straight games and will return to the SDC Gym for its next three contests. The first of those comes Thursday (Jan. 29) vs. Northwood at 5:30 p.m.
(Information/Photo Courtesy of MTU Athletics)