Mason, Timms and Standfest combine for 62 points for Huskies
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech women’s basketball team saw three starters score twenty or more points, led by a 22-point performance by Ella Mason, although it wasn’t enough to complete a second-half comeback, ultimately falling 86-83 to Wayne State at the SDC Gymnasium on Thursday.
Mason had 14 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter, going 4-6 from 3-point land, adding two free throws. Kendall Standfest secured her third double-double of the season, adding a season-high 20 points as Soraya Timms tied her career-high with 20 points—hitting three triples, adding eight assists and six rebounds.
“Always disappointing to have a loss, but it was great to see us fight back late. Ella made some big shots,” said Tech head coach Sam Clayton. “Our first half defensive execution was good and they came out and made adjustments with who they were playing and that hurt us in the second half.”
Michigan Tech (11-6, 5-4 GLIAC) paced Wayne State (, GLIAC) through the first half, leading 3-0 after a minute of action following a 3-pointer by Mason. The Negaunee, Michigan, native knocked down her second triple of the day near the halfway point, as Janie Tormanen connected on a hook shot to push the Huskies ahead 10-4 with 4:25 remaining in the first quarter.
Timms hit two shots for the Black & Gold, with a layup and a 3-pointer as part of a five-point spurt before Standfest hit a jumper and two free-throws with 19 seconds to go to put Michigan Tech ahead 23-20 following a late basket by Gabby Luchtka to end the scoring.
The Huskies shot 56.3 percent from the field in the opening period, while going 3-7 from deep.
After shooting 40 percent from the field in the first quarter, the Warriors shot 50 percent in the second, although the visitors fell behind in 3-pointers and free-throws in the quarter as the Huskies got 10 points from Timms, hitting two of the team’s three 3-pointers in the quarter, while dishing out two more assists.
Standfest added a basket and two free-throws as part of the Huskies five points from the foul line in the quarter, propelling the Huskies to a nine-point advantage at the 5:24 mark and then again to conclude the first half with a layup by Dani Nuest as time expired (47-38).
The Warriors made adjustments at halftime and recorded their highest scoring quarter, pouring on 25 points compared to 13 for the Huskies. WSU held the Black & Gold without a field goal until the 3:47 mark with a layup by Mason, making it a 54-50 affair in favor of the home team.
The duo of Gabi Lutchka and Taylor Thompson combined for 17 of the Warriors’ points in the quarter, with Lutchka knocking down two 3-pointers, including one at the 3:01 mark to claim their first lead of the day (55-54) and the next to retake a three-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Standfest and Timms each went 3-4 from the free throw line as Alyssa Wypych went a perfect 2-2 in the quarter from the foul line and Dani Nuest knocked down a triple.
Wayne State had its largest lead of the fourth quarter, with a nine-point edge (81-74) with under 46 seconds remaining, however, found three clutch 3-pointers by Mason after resorting to fouling and made it a two-point game with her third triple in under a minute with six seconds remaining although the Warriors went 1-2 at the free throw line and then intercepted the Huskies’ inbound pass to decide the contest at 86-83.
McKenna Ferguson led four Warriors in double-figure scoring with 21 points on 7-12 shooting as Thompson and Jaci Tubergen pulled down a team-leading 10 boards.
Up Next
The Huskies will look to earn a weekend split, welcoming Purdue Northwest to the SDC Gymnasium on Saturday, slated for a noon tipoff.
