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Northern Michigan University Wildcat women’s basketball team trounced by Michigan Tech, 72-37

From left, Northern Michigan University’s Sydney Dillinger looks to make a pass while defended by Michigan Tech’s Morgan Anderson as the Wildcats’ Taylor Hodell tries to get open in front of the Huskies’ Isabella O'Brien. (Houghton Dailiy Mining Gazette photo by David Archambeau)

HOUGHTON — The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team fell behind early to Michigan Tech on Thursday night and never recovered, as the Huskies defeated the Wildcats 72-37 in the regular-season finale in Houghton.

NMU head coach Troy Mattson was disappointed in his team’s performance just five days before the GLIAC tournament begins.

“We did not come prepared to play,” Mattson said. “It was uncharacteristic of us.

“In our 28 games this year, we came ready to play in 27 of them, until tonight. For some reason, we didn’t have anything in us.”

When NMU defeated the Huskies on Jan. 30 in Marquette, the Wildcats held Tech scoring leader Morgan Anderson to single digits, but Anderson refused to be quieted in the rematch.

The Huskies jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first quarter while the Wildcats could only score from the free-throw line in the quarter. Anderson finished the period with a layup at the buzzer to give Michigan Tech a 23-8 lead.

The Huskies poured it on during the second quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 16-7 with six points from Anderson as Tech could seemingly do no wrong.

Northern put its best attempt at a comeback together in the third, going on an 8-2 run out of halftime, yet still trailed 41-23 midway through the quarter.

Brenna Heise quieted NMU’s quick restart with a long triple from the corner, putting Tech in front 44-23 with three minutes left in the third quarter.

Anderson tacked on a layup moments later, and the Huskies eventually led by as many as 35 points in the fourth to seal the deal on a game in which they never trailed.

Michigan Tech head coach Kim Cameron credited much of the win to limiting NMU centers Taylor Hodell and Jessica Schultz to just two points between them.

“Our intensity, focus, will and execution throughout the game was phenomenal,” she said. “We tried to do our best limiting their post players, and we rebounded them which is tough against them. We controlled the pace of the game and played within ourselves.”

NMU shot 24.5 percent from the floor while the Huskies finished at 56.9 percent.

Tech also won the rebounding battle, 39-25 overall.

Anderson and Heise shared game-scoring honors with 17 points each, while Bre Gaspervich led NMU with 14 points in her final regular-season game as a Wildcat.

But the ride isn’t over yet for Gaspervich nor her Wildcats, as they had already clinched their berth in the GLIAC tournament well before Thursday’s game.

NMU (12-9) secured the seventh seed and travels to the North Division champion Saginaw Valley State on Tuesday for the conference tournament quarterfinals.

“It’s a matchup we want, but I don’t know if it will help us other than seeing if we can play well in the GLIAC Tournament,” Mattson said.

“(Tech) was a big game for us to get a regional win, so losing this game will probably get Tech in the NCAA tournament and bounce us out of any chance (other than winning the tournament).”

The Wildcats split the two-game series with the Cardinals in the regular season, with each team winning at home.

“We’re going to have to be tougher and pay attention to our assignments,” Mattson said. “We’ll have to finish shots and certainly shoot better than we did tonight.”

Ray Bressette can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 243. His email address is rbressette@miningjournal.net.

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