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Huskies men score 30 points at the free throw line in win over Panthers

David Archambeau/For the Gazette Michigan Tech guard Pete Calcaterra dunks during a game against Davenport Thursday at the SDC Gym in Houghton.

HOUGHTON — In his mental checklist for the weekend, Michigan Tech Huskies men’s basketball coach Josh Buettner and his team had a goal for Thursday night’s matchup with the Davenport Panthers, avenge a two-point loss from early January. With 30 points from the free throw line, the Huskies did just that, winning 77-69 at the SDC Gym.

“It’s huge,” Buettner said. “The second time around, every game in this league is going to be a battle. If you can get a win in the GLIAC, that’s a successful night.”

Buettner, whose team improved to 14-5 overall and 9-2 in conference play, did not play its best basketball, however, it was good enough to earn their eighth straight at home, where they remain undefeated.

“I don’t know that we were at our best,” Buettner said. “I think Davenport did a pretty good job of taking away the flow of the game. I appreciate all the fans that were here, but that was a tough game to watch with that many whistles and stoppages. You know what, when you have a young team in a tough place to play, because I think our gym’s a tough place to play right now, sometimes that’s a strategy that can help, and credit to them.

“They kept fighting, definitely (we) could have went away when, I think, we got it up to 15 in the second half, and they kept fighting and kept coming. We have to be a little bit sharper and better at executing down the stretch. Just because someone else is trying to maybe muck it up a little bit doesn’t mean we have to play that way. We can still be more locked-in defensively. I don’t think we were as sharp as we’ve been guarding the ball one on one, and those are things we need to clean up by Saturday.”

The Huskies never trailed in the game, but despite that, the Panthers made life miserable as long as they could. Buettner felt that his team still has a lot to learn about winning basketball games.

“That’s what we have to learn, though,” he said. “There’s going to be some of them the second time around. Everybody knows everybody so well. Obviously, we want to get out, transition, and play some good offensive basketball like we like to play at home. I think some of the shots go, and when you’re in a rhythm, all that stuff comes easier. But, if teams are going to get you out of that rhythm, you have to be able to, I don’t necessarily want to say play above it, but you have to be able to get the game the way you want it to, not the way they want to play.

“It’s good when you can win in ways that you’re not necessarily trying to play, and still come out victorious, but we have to do a better job of still executing our stuff and staying locked in defensively.”

The Huskies went 7-for-12 from the free throw line in the first half. In the second, they improved to 23-for-31. Junior guard Marcus Tomashek, who finished with a game-high 32 points, made 16 of those 30 free throws.

“I just take what comes to me,” he said. “I take what our coaches are really good at, getting me good looks, and our teammates are great screeners, great passers, and we all just work really well together. So, I think that I’m playing well, and our team’s playing really well.”

When asked what goes through his mind when he keeps being sent to the free throw line, he gave a very short answer.

“Nothing really,” he said. “I just keep a clear head and know that I’m going to make them. If I miss one or two, (I) just don’t let it get to me, and go up and make the next one.”

In the previous meeting between the Huskies and Panthers in Grand Rapids, junior forward Dawson Nordgaard played just 12 minutes. He had two points, one rebound, and fouled out. Thursday, he played 20 minutes, had 11 points, racked up five rebounds, and took three fouls.

“We emphasize, honestly, we’ll take them making a couple baskets to have you in the second half,” Buettner said. “He needs to continue to keep being smarter. He got another foul 90 feet away.

“Those are the things where we really felt like we could have been up more in the first half if not so much the missing threes. We missed a couple open ones. We had a couple dumb turnovers that led to points. We had two fouls 90 feet away from the basket. That just doesn’t need to happen. Those are things we have to be better at.”

The Huskies had a third player in double figures as senior guard Adam Hobson scored 12. However, his pass to senior guard Pete Calcaterra might have been the most exciting moment of the night in the second half. With 10:51 left, Hobson found Calcaterra driving, and he successfully finished off the play with a dunk.

UP NEXT

The Huskies return to action Saturday afternoon as they face the Grand Valley State Lakers at 2 p.m. at the SDC Gym.

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