HOUGHTON, Mich. – Sophomore guard Ella Mason had a team-leading 13 points on 4-4 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line and a timely charge on defense in the fourth quarter to help the Michigan Tech women's basketball team overcome a seven-point deficit and prevail 68-67, over Saginaw Valley State at the SDC Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
Mason led four Huskies in double-figure scoring with 19 points, being joined by Kendall Standfest (16), Alyssa Wypych (12) and a season-high by Maja Kozlowska (11). Wypych and Standfest also pulled down a team-leading six rebounds as Soraya Timms added five points and a team-best five assists.
Michigan Tech elevates to 14-8 overall and 8-6 in the league following the third GLIAC weekend sweep of the season. SVSU drops to 5-17 overall and 3-11 in the loop.
"Overall, I'm just proud of how we responded–being up 11 early, then they go on a big run and we're down. I thought we really responded after I called a timeout, came together and had different people step up and bring energy and respond against a really good Saginaw team," said Tech head coach Sam Clayton. "Ella stepped up big time in the fourth. She made some tough jumpers, but also the charge might've been one of the biggest plays of the game, even more than the shots she made."
The Huskies doubled up the Cardinals in the first quarter, jumping out to a 22-11 edge, shooting 54.5 percent from the field while holding the visitors to 4-17 from the field (23.5). Standfest had half of the team's points by the 3:42 mark with a 3-pointer, a layup and two free throws.
Mason had six-straight points, all coming from the foul line, to put Michigan Tech ahead by double-digits (22-9) with under 90 seconds to go in the opening quarter. Mason drew fouls in the paint and on the 3-point line before the Huskies got into the bonus for the additional free throw.
The Cardinals hit three of their first four 3-pointers early in the game but struggled to find offense beyond the arc in the opening quarter.
SVSU controlled the second quarter, outscoring the Huskies 20-11, hitting 4-of-9 3-pointers while going 8-15 from the field to cut MTU's lead to two points, 33-31, heading into halftime. Lydia Meredith hit four 3-pointers in the first half to lead the Cardinals with 12 points. Megan McCalla (11) and Kaitlyn Geurink (8) made up the Cardinals' entire offensive output in the first half.
Timms had five points and three assists through the Huskies as Kozlowska had five points on 2-2 from the field and 1-2 from the free throw line in the opening half.
The Huskies struggled on offense to start the second half, missing their first five shots to fall behind 4-0 in the third quarter, forcing a timeout after trailing 37-33 with 5:22 to go in the period.
The two teams jostled for a deciding lead with the Huskies earning five-straight from Wypych and a 3-pointer by Dani Nuest to snap the cold streak. However, the Cardinals outscored the Black & Gold 15-8 to earn their largest lead of the day (46-41) heading into the fourth quarter. Emma Dziezgowski posted a team-leading six points in the quarter for SVSU.
The Huskies went on an 8-0 run midway through the fourth quarter with two baskets by Kozlowska, a jumper by Mason and a layup by Wypych to make it 55-55 in favor of the Huskies with 4:07 to play.
With 1:35 to play, Mason knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer and then drew a charge on defense to maintain a three-point lead (66-63) with 1:17 to go.
After a missed triple by the Cardinals, the visitors were forced to foul, with Standfest and Wypych each going 1-of-2 from the line before a late basket by SVSU decided the contest at 68-67.
McCalla led four Cardinals in double-figure scoring with 19 points. McCalla and Meredith recorded a team-high seven boards.
Up Next
The Huskies begin a four-game road stand next week, traveling to Purdue Northwest Thursday and Wayne State Saturday.
