HOUGHTON, Mich. — The Michigan Tech women's basketball team advanced to its first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship since 2002 with an 83-62 win over Wayne State in tonight's first semifinal. The Huskies (22-7) sent the SDC crowd of 1,187 home happy by making 34-of-38 free throws and holding the Warriors (15-12) to 31 percent from the field.

Both teams put together scoring runs in the first half. Wayne jumped out to an 8-4 lead to open the game before the Huskies answered with a 15-1 run. Tech's lead was down to 23-21 with 7:03 to play in the stanza before Danae Danen scored seven straight points to help the hosts surge to a 45-31 halftime advantage.

The second half saw Michigan Tech score the first 12 points to extend its lead to 26 by the 15:08 mark. The margin remained at least 20 the remainder of the contest.

"I was really happy with our defense," said head coach John Barnes. "We played hard and stuck to our game plan. Free throws were obviously a huge part of the win. I thought we attacked the basket to get to the free throw line, then made them count."

Four Tech players scored in double figures led by Katie Wysocky's 18. The sophomore forward made all eight of her free throws and tallied 10 rebounds for her 13th double-double of the season.

Danen finished with 17 points, 15 of which came in the first half. Katie Zimmerman (13) and Lena Widman (11) also tallied double digits.

Tech connected on 48 percent of its field goals and held a 40-34 rebounding edge. The hosts also utilized a 31-4 advantage in bench scoring.

Michigan Tech will take on Ashland, which defeated Ferris State 56-45 in the second semifinal, in the GLIAC Championship game Saturday (March 8). Tipoff at the SDC Gym is slated for 7 p.m.

Notes: Both Wysocky (8-of-8 at the free throw line) and Danen (7-of-7) tied a GLIAC Tournament record for free throw percentage in a game ... Zimmerman was 5-of-5 at the foul line today to push her streak of free throws made to 37 ... Tech last GLIAC Tournament Championship came in 2001 ... The Huskies have tallied their most wins (22) since 2000-01, when they had 26.