Michigan Tech guard Ella Mason attempts a layup during a game against St. Cloud State Friday at the SDC Gym in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — The Michigan Tech Huskies women’s basketball team jumped out to an early lead and then held off the St. Cloud State Huskies late Friday evening as the Huskies came away with a 69-66 win at the SDC Gym.

With the win, Michigan Tech improved to 4-0 on the season. Last season, the Black and Gold needed 10 games to reach their fourth victory.

“Oh, my goodness, I am so proud of this team, because last year was honestly unbelievable how bad things were for us, and I’m not talking record-wise,” said Michigan Tech coach Sam Clayton. “I’m talking the things that happened off the floor that were uncontrollable, where we literally couldn’t prove practice, didn’t have enough players, and couldn’t go 5-on-5. To be able to, this year, be healthy, compete in these games, not only compete in these games, win these games, these close games against, I think, really good teams (is fantastic).”

Michigan Tech used a second straight career night from sophomore Ella Mason to help get over the hump and hold off St. Cloud. Mason scored just six points last weekend before scoring 22 Thursday night and 24 against St. Cloud.

“I knew Ella would bounce back,” Clayton said. “I think I said it before, but she puts in more time than just about anybody. Her and Soraya (Timms) are probably up there just for how much time they put in the gym. She gets up so many shots, and, in practice, she makes all those shots and then some. So, it’s not a surprise to me.

“Last weekend was a surprise to me. That’s why me and Ella were just laughing about it. We’re like, ‘That’s never going to happen again. You’re a good shooter. Percentages are going to even out and you’re going to make the next one.’ She has that mindset. She has that confidence. I do have that faith in her, and she has earned that faith.”

Mason only had a pair of free throws in the first half, but caught fire with a 3-pointer from right in front of the Michigan Tech bench 1:10 into the third quarter. Four minutes later, she hit another 3-pointer and then another 30 seconds later, and suddenly she was up to 13 points.

“Honestly, coming out of the first half, I felt good about my shots, but they just weren’t going in,” Mason said. “So, I knew I was eventually gonna start hitting them. Then I think Soraya looked at me in the, I think it was the beginning of the third quarter, and she was like, ‘I’m going to find you on this. I’m going to hit you in the corner. You’re going to knock it down.’ I knocked it down.

“She gave me confidence. Then, I think, that propelled me into making more shots.”

Mason hit another 3-pointer before the quarter ended. She picked up two more in the fourth quarter to finish 6-for-12 from beyond the arc.

Also finishing in double figures for Michigan Tech were Timms (13), junior guard Alyssa Wypych (13) and senior forward Janie Tormanen (10). Tormanen also led the Huskies on the boards with 10 rebounds for the double-double.

Despite the spread in scoring, the Black and Gold still fell into droughts in the last 3:30 of the second quarter, and again for over three minutes in the third quarter, but both times, they found a way to keep those droughts from being the difference in the game.

“That is the difference,” said Clayton. “I felt like, last year, scoring droughts kind of extended after that three minutes, or maybe scored one, but then another three minutes. This year, we really come together. You can tell our team is just so united, and their chemistry is so good, that they believe in each other. They’re going to get some movement. They’re going to get some good actions.

“We have really good scorers and we know that. So nobody has to do it themselves. They know it. So, that takes off pressure, and they’re playing for each other. They’re playing for love of the game, I think. It’s just fun to be a part of.”

Clayton also praised the efforts of junior guard Dani Nuest. While Nuest only had four points, she had five assists, three steals, and a pair of rebounds.

“I think even someone we didn’t mention, where you don’t see (her stats), she had four points, Danny,” Clayton said, “four points. She had five assists, three steals. She was phenomenal. I think that is a great stat line right there. Five assists, no turnovers, three steals. She doesn’t get mentioned, but I think she had a great game for us as well.”

Up next

The Huskies hit the road next weekend as they travel to face Concordia-St. Paul Friday afternoon and then Winona State on Saturday.