The Michigan Tech women’s basketball team concluded their non-conference schedule with a thrilling victory over Northwood, triumphing 89-87 in a game filled with high-scoring excitement at the SDC Gym in Houghton, Michigan. In this intense matchup, five players from the Huskies reached double figures in scoring, led by Ella Mason, who achieved a personal best of 25 points.
With this win, Tech improved its overall record to 8 wins and 2 losses, finishing the non-conference segment with a strong 6-2 mark. Notably, this game marked the first time this season the Huskies scored 80 points, handing Northwood their fourth defeat and the first loss to a team that isn’t ranked in the top 25.
"Northwood is a remarkable team that has excellent coaching," remarked Tech coach Sam Clayton. "Our squad consistently responded to their scoring runs. Although their zone defense and press created challenges for us in the fourth quarter, we managed to execute just enough plays to secure the win.
"This victory is significant because we managed to beat a very impressive opponent on our home court. Now, we’ll take a short break, but we recognize that our next challenge is against the number one team in the country. We’re heading into that game with confidence."
Entering the final quarter with a 12-point advantage, the Huskies faced a determined Northwood team that switched to a zone defense, effectively slowing down the pace of the game. The Timberwolves outscored Tech by 10 points during this period, narrowing the gap to just two points. In a dramatic finish, Northwood’s Maeve St. John attempted a deep three-pointer at the buzzer, which just barely missed, sealing the score at 89-87.
The Huskies started explosively, scoring 30 points in the first quarter, and maintained a lead of 51-45 by halftime, showcasing an impressive shooting performance of over 60 percent from the field and sinking six three-pointers. At one point, Tech was ahead by as much as 14 points, although Northwood kept themselves in contention with reliable free throw shooting, going a perfect 12-for-12 in the first half.
In the third quarter, the Black and Gold outpaced the Timberwolves, scoring 22 points to Northwood’s 16, thereby preserving their lead. The Huskies also capitalized on fast breaks, scoring 10 points quickly, while Ella Mason continued her hot streak, contributing another eight points to her total.
Ella Mason finished the game shooting 9-for-17 from the field, including four three-pointers and three successful free throws. This marked her third game this season scoring 20 or more points. Alyssa Wypych was also outstanding, making all three of her attempts from beyond the arc, finishing with 16 points. Kendall Standfest added 15 points, Soraya Timms contributed 14, and Janie Tormanen rounded out the scoring with 12 points.
On the other side, Maeve St. John led the Timberwolves, scoring 25 points, with 10 of those coming from free throws. Lea Holmes added 17 points, while Lexie Bowers chipped in with 10 points, also reaching double figures.
The Huskies will now take a holiday break, returning to play on January 1 and January 3, when they will host Grand Valley State and Davenport at the SDC Gym.
