The Michigan Tech Huskies men’s basketball team faced a formidable challenge against the No. 9 nationally-ranked Minnesota State-Moorhead. Despite an impressive second half performance with a score of 48-38 in their favor, the Huskies ultimately fell short with a final score of 85-77 at the SDC Gym on Sunday afternoon.
Head coach Josh Buettner shared his thoughts on the game, stating, “During the first half, we encountered some of the same issues as yesterday. We showed resilience – it would have been easy to lose by a significant margin, but we fought and believed we still had opportunities. While some factors did not go our way, avoiding such a large deficit gives us a reasonable chance. Our team did well in taking care of the basketball, and our efforts on the offensive glass reflect our determination.”
The game witnessed both teams scoring over 40 points in a half, with Moorhead taking an early lead and maintaining it throughout the game. However, Michigan Tech rallied back after a challenging first half, managing to reduce the lead to just four points for the first time since the opening minute of the game.
The Dragons ultimately secured the victory through strong free-throw shooting, extending their lead to conclude the game at 85-77.
Several key players from Michigan Tech, including Marcus Tomashek, Pete Calcaterra, Dawson Nordgaard, and Tyler Robarge, delivered impressive performances. Tomashek led the team with 22 points, Calcaterra scored 20 points and secured six rebounds, Nordgaard contributed 14 points and two rebounds, and Robarge added 10 points and three rebounds.
On the opposing side, Moorhead had five players with double-figure scoring, with Jacob Beeninga leading the pack with 19 points.
Michigan Tech will resume competition on Thursday, December 7th, as they open conference play against Saginaw Valley State at the SDC Gym.