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Tech-Davenport matchups postponed due to illness; Huskies face Wayne State today

Michigan Tech's Ryan Schuller shoots against Tiffin on Jan. 6 at the Wood Gym. Tech heads to Wayne State tonight. (David Archambeau/Daily Mining Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Due to the number of confirmed norovirus cases on the Davenport campus, the Michigan Tech men’s and women’s basketball matchups scheduled for Saturday at Davenport have been postponed. 

Davenport has partnered with the Kent County Health Department and is implementing all of its recommendations, including the closure of campus from today through Sunday. Residential students are being encouraged to remain on campus over the weekend to help prevent the spread of the norovirus to their families and communities. 

No official make-up date has been announced, but there is a tentative date of Feb. 12 that is being discussed. That leaves Tech’s matchup tonight at Wayne State as the only matchup of the weekend.

For the Huskies, the men are women are currently two teams on different paths. The women are the No. 12 team in the country and are coming off one of the team’s more impressive wins of the season, 80-77 over Ferris State on the road, while the men are in the midst of a six-game losing streak.

For the Tech women (14-2, 8-1), it was the team’s mental fortitude that allowed it to rally against Ferris State from a 65-58 deficit entering the fourth quarter. In a physical battle where Ferris State — who is the top rebounding team in the GLIAC (43 rebounds per game) — won the battle on the boards (43-35) and scored more points in the paint (48-38), Tech displayed its toughness in turning the game around with its defense. The Huskies allowed just 12 fourth-quarter points to the Bulldogs. 

“We really toughened up in the second half,” Tech coach Kim Cameron said. “It was a physical game, and (Ferris State) does a lot of things that we’re not very good at … So the ability to fight back when you’re not feeling great about yourself and getting exposed in things you don’t do well is huge.”

While Ferris State challenged Tech inside with its post game and size on the boards, the Warriors (11-4, 6-3) present a different set of issues for the Huskies. Wayne State makes the most 3s per game in the GLIAC (8) while attempting the most shots from beyond the 3-point line (24). Defensively, the Warriors are the best at opponents’ shooting percentage (38 percent) and are second at defending the 3 (30 percent).

“They’ll protect the basket really well and force your five to shoot 15 to 18-foot jumpers,” Cameron said. “They’ll play some zone and also press and turn up the pressure.”

A win will keep the Tech women atop the GLIAC North standings; a win for the Tech men (7-9, 4-5) will be as much a morale booster as it is important to staying in the top eight to qualify for the GLIAC tourney. 

It’s been more than a month since Tech’s 75-66 win over Purdue Northwest on Dec. 17. Since then, Tech’s lost all six of its games by double digits and by an average of 19 points per game. Despite this stretch, Tech coach Kevin Luke has not wavered on this team. 

“I don’t feel like it’s that bad because we’re not letting them feel sorry for themselves,” Luke said. “It’s about every individual and it’s about us. We have the pieces to the puzzle, but the puzzle is still scrambled. It’s not put together.”

At 4-5 in the conference, Tech is tied with Grand Valley for sixth while Davenport and Saginaw Valley each sport 3-6 conference records. The top eight seeds qualify for the GLIAC postseason tournament, but the Huskies will probably want to gain at least the seventh seed to avoid a matchup with No. 5 Ferris State; the Bulldogs trounced Tech 85-66 on Jan. 11.

“You adjust accordingly, and right now it’s just get in the tournament,” Luke said. “I don’t care if we have to go to South America for the tournament. Just be in it.”

On numerous occasions during this skid, Luke has mentioned the need for his team to play with a tougher mentality. Few in the GLIAC can test a team’s perseverance like the Wayne State Warriors, who play a grind-it-out halfcourt style. The Warriors (8-6, 6-3) average just 56 shots per game (10th in the GLIAC) and are ranked as the second-best defense (67 points per game).

“It’s going to be a test. If you don’t go down with the thought that you’re going to get punched or be willing to take a punch, you’re in trouble,” Luke said. “If we want to go toe-to-toe, it will be a great challenge. If we fold, it’s going to be a long day.”

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