HOUGHTON -- (Courtesy of MTU Athletics) Junior Jake Hottenstine scored a game-high 37 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds to lead Minn. Duluth to a dramatic 81-80 win over the Michigan Tech men’s basketball team Saturday (Nov. 12). Hottenstine shot 14-of-18 from the floor, including 6-of-8 from behind the arc.
“Hottenstine is a really good athlete,” said head coach Kevin Luke. “He beat us off the dribble, from the 3-point line (6-of-8) and killed us on the offensive glass (six rebounds).”
The first half was a back and forth battle between the two teams featuring eight lead changes and seven ties. The Huskies would enjoy the biggest lead of the half, seven points, but the Bulldogs would cling to a one-point lead at halftime.
The UMD lead would grow to as many as nine points in the second half, but Tech made a strong run over the final six minutes. Sophomore Alex Culy drained a 3-point shot at 2:27 to cap off a 9-0 run by the Huskies to tie the game at 80.
Neither Duluth nor Tech would score on its next two possessions. Hottenstine then made the first of two free throws to give the visitors an 81-80 lead.
Culy missed a 3-pointer on the following possession for the Huskies, but the Bulldogs would miss a free throw at the other end. Culy was able to drive to the basket in the final seconds of the game but his shot would bounce off the rim.
Culy finished with 18 points shooting 6-of-10 from the floor and 4-of-6 from behind the arc.
Junior Ali Haidar scored a team-high 21 points to lead the Huskies, and senior Mike Hojnacki added 14 points and a team-high six rebounds.
UMD finished with a 43-29 advantage in rebounds including a 12-6 advantage in offensive rebounds.
The Bulldogs also shot 85-percent (12-14) from the free throw line compared to just 61-percent (14-23) for the Huskies.
Tech will host Minnesota State Saturday (Nov. 19).
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