Poor free throw shooting does in Huskies
ST. PAUL, MN -- (Courtesy of MTU Athletics) The No. 14-ranked Michigan Tech women’s basketball was defeated for the first time in 2010-11 as Concordia-St. Paul converted 27-of-28 free throws in a 78-70 victory in the final game of the Radisson Roseville Thanksgiving Basketball Classic today. The Huskies, who normally a very good free throw shooting team, made just 9-of-18 in falling to 3-1 on the year.
The Golden Bears’ guards seemingly had a step on the Huskies’ defense all day. Maurika Hickman tallied 26 points for the hosts, making all 11 of her free throws and 6-of-9 field goals in the contest. Four other guards combined for 38 points with 14 made free throws.
Tech seemingly had things under control with an eight point lead heading down the stretch. The Bears tallied four straight free throws, but Lisa Staehlin’s baseline jumper kept the Huskies on top 63-57 with five minutes to play.
Concordia (1-3) got hot from there, scoring on all 10 of its remaining possessions in the game to run away with it. Lindsey Lindstrom’s layup with two minutes to go broke Tech’s drought and made the score 68-65. The Bears got a huge 3-pointer to grow their lead to six as Jineen Williams drove into the lane, then kicked it out for a wide open look.
Lindstrom missed two free throws on the ensuing possession, and Concordia made five straight foul shoots to ice the win.
“Free throws win games,,” said head coach Kim Cameron, who experienced her first official loss as a head coach. “We were out of position on defense too many times today, and we bailed them out with fouls. They made their free throws. We didn’t, and it hurt us.”
Tech had an advantage in the post with centers Staehlin (18 points) and Lynn Giesler (12) combining to go 13-of-18 from the floor for 30 points. The free throw differential was too much to overcome, however. The Bears outscored the Huskies 21-3 from the line in the second half alone.
The teams traded the lead five times and had seven ties in the first half. CSP had the ball with a chance to take the lead under 30 seconds. Hickman missed a pull-up jumper with nine seconds left. Tech’s Krista Kasuboski rebounded the miss, then started a fast break which resulted in Angela Guisfredi burying a 3-pointer at the buzzer. That gave the Huskies a 37-33 lead at halftime.
Sam Hoyt drilled a 3-pointer to open the second stanza, but it would be her only points of the half.
Tech posted a 31-26 rebounding advantage led by Lucy Dernovsek’s 10. Lindstrom added seven rebounds to go with her 16 points.
Concordia shot 49 percent from the field compared to 47 for the Huskies. The hosts had assists on only five of their 23 field goals.
Michigan Tech will have a week off before opening Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play next Saturday (Dec. 4). The Huskies and rival Wildcats are scheduled to tipoff in Marquette, Mich., at 1 p.m.
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