Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech women's basketball team opened its 2026-27 season with a 69-65 victory over Winona State on Monday at the SDC Gym. Claudia Frances led three Huskies in double figures with 16 points
 
"It was a very resilient win with some players going down during the game and missing some key players from the start," Tech coach Eric Gruber said after his first game and win as a head coach. "This is one of the most proud wins I've been a part of as a team. It was the next-person-up mentality, and they really bought into that. We got some stops at the end when we needed and knocked down some free throws."
 
Tech led by as many as 16 late in the third quarter and entered the fourth with a 13-point advantage. The Huskies didn't score a field goal in the final 5:47 but scored four free throws to keep the game out of reach for the Warriors.
 
After trailing 18-14 at the end of the first quarter, the Huskies outscored the Warriors 46-19 over the next two periods. WSU pushed in the fourth, holding an 18-9 advantage, but the Huskies' defense made plays late and held on to the lead.
 
Claudia Frances was 4-for-5 from the field, all from three-point territory, and made all four of her free-throw attempts. Kaitlyn Maxwell finished with 11 points, and Dani Nuest added 10. Kloe Zentkowski notched eight points and eight rebounds. Abbie Pietila finished with seven points, five steals, four rebounds, and four assists.
 
Tech was 23 for 60 from the floor for 38 percent and was 12 for 34 from beyond the arc for 35 percent. The Huskies scored 24 points off of 17 turnovers.
 
Vivica Bretton was the lone Warrior in double figures with a game-high 28 points. WSU finished 44 percent from the floor and 29 percent from three.
 
Tech travels down to Wisconsin Dells on the weekend to play Upper Iowa on Friday and Lewis on Saturday.