Michigan Tech guard Marcus Tomashek (1) drives around a Wisconsin-Stout defender while guard Gabe Smith (20) looks to help during an exhibition game Saturday at the SDC Gym in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — The No. 9 Michigan Tech Huskies men’s basketball team has two more games this month before they get 11 days off for the holidays. The Huskies are in Melbourne, Florida, to take part in the Florida Tech Christmas Classic, where they will face the host team, Florida Tech, Friday and then Lynn Saturday.

Huskies coach Josh Buettner, whose team defeated Wisconsin-Stout Saturday in an exhibition matchup, 79-41, is pleased with his team, which is 9-1 on the season overall and 2-0 in GLIAC play.

“I mean, obviously, I’m pretty happy with the record,” he said. “I like where we’re at defensively and competing. I think that is going to be our foundation for the year.”

Having already beaten a pair of ranked opponents to start the season, and having gone 7-1 since then, has those around the program excited about how things are going.

“I guess there’s some optimism, because a lot of times, when you have a team full with four senior starters, and a lot of experience back, at this time of year, you might look at your record and say, ‘Well, this is kind of what you are. You’re a good team, but whatever.'”

Buettner feels that his team still has a lot of room to grow.

“There’s some hope, and some optimism, with me, because I do think we’re a long way from where our ceiling can be,” he said. “This coming week, there’s some really tough games, and there’s some tough games coming ahead in the conference. The GLIAC’s always tough.

But, I do feel like we have a lot of room to grow yet, which is exciting when you’re a coach that you can be where you’re at right now, and still feel like you can get a lot better.”

Part of that optimism revolves around the fact that senior guard Marcus Tomashek has yet to really look like himself this season, averaging just 17.8 points per game thus far.

In the first half of Saturday’s game against Wisconsin-Stout, he had a spurt where he scored 13 straight points for the Huskies in the first half.

“One other positive in that first half is Marcus had a little spurt where we saw kind of the old Marcus,” Buettner said. “That was a big thing we wanted to get out of this game, was to try to get him back in his flow, get back confidence a little bit.”

Buettner feels that while the offense has not been there yet, Tomashek does so many other things the Huskies need him to.

“He still did a pretty good job of making some good passes even though in the stretch,” said Buettner. “We’re just trying to evolve his game a little bit to be somewhat of a playmaker. He’s not as explosive as he was yet. Hopefully here these next two weeks, we’re going to kind of crank up his workouts, try to get him back in better shape, and back a little bit more explosive for the stretch run here conference.

“It’s been interesting, because the whole time this season his numbers aren’t as gaudy, and some of the percentages aren’t there, but, as a whole, he hasn’t hurt our offense. He’s making the right plays. He’s guarding. He’s doing things that are helping us win…All he wants to do at this point is win. He’s just out there trying to win, and that’s what you want your best player trying to do.”

Alongside Tomashek, the Huskies have an emerging offensive threat in redshirt sophomore Gabe Smith. Smith is averaging 9.4 points per game after averaging 6.6 as a freshman. Not a traditional scorer in his high school days, Buettner and his staff are working closely with Smith to help him tap his potential as they see it.

“He’s a problem when he gets it going,” Buettner said. “He was the fourth- leading scorer on his high school team. He’s never been a scorer. So, there’s going to be a couple of them every now and then where he might make the wrong decision, or he might get blocked.

“The potential in the ceiling for him is unbelievably such a matchup problem. If you put a small on him, if you put a big on him, he can do so much. He’s a load in there with his length and his athleticism. He’s going to keep getting better, and we’re trying to let him be a little bit of a playmaker, get him in the middle on those short rolls and whatnot, and let him make decisions. The learning curve for him is still going to be sharp this year.”

Scouting the Panthers

The Florida Tech Panthers are 5-5 overall and 2-2 in Sunshine State Conference play this season. They come into this weekend having defeated Eckerd College Tuesday, 87-85, in overtime. They are 5-1 in the past six games after starting the year 0-4.

The Panthers have a pair of players averaging 10.8 points per game, senior guard Xavier Ford-Belton and redshirt junior Ca’Darrius Sowell. Both are good around the basket as well, as Ford-Belton leads the team with 7.7 rebounds per game, while Sowell averages 5.6.

Scouting the Fighting Knights

The Lynn Fighting Knights are 7-3 overall and 3-2 in SSC play. They come into this weekend having lost to Tampa, 79-78, Tuesday. They have wins over ranked opponents in then-No. 25 Palm Beach Atlantic and then-No. 16 Florida Southern.

Senior guard Max Polk leads the offense with 16.3 points per game. Senior guard Braydon Iuli has also been really good, averaging 14.8 points per game.

Sophomore forward John Roland is tough in the paint. He averages 13.3 points per game and a team-high 8.0 rebounds.

Fifth-year guard Justin Bubak is the fourth Fighting Knights player to average in double figures at 12.3 points per game.

Game times

The Huskies and Panthers will tipoff at 5 p.m. Friday at the Charles and Ruth Clemente Center in Melbourne, Florida. Saturday, the Huskies and Fighting Knights are set to start at 7 p.m.