HOUGHTON — As the Michigan Tech Huskies women’s basketball team heads into Saturday’s rivalry matchup with the Northern Michigan Wildcats, coach Sam Clayton is proud of how her team has lost tough games on Thursdays in 2024, but has consistently bounced back with better performances on Saturday.

Finding ways to make the right adjustments prior to Saturday games has proven to be something the Huskies are getting adept at.

“It’s critical,” she said. “I mean, we’re coming down, what, 10 games left in the regular season? So, it’s critical that we make the adjustments we need to. It’s going to happen.”

While the Huskies have done a great imitation of a basketball, bouncing back up with each dribble, Clayton wants to see her team play with some more urgency, especially considering the amount of experience on the roster.

“We have six seniors this year,” she said. “The urgency has got to be there. They have to be putting in the time where they are finishing at their end. They are making those open looks, and I think (this is) a great time to turn around, rivalry week.”

Clayton did feel as though the missed shots the Huskies had against Wisconsin-Parkside in their loss on Thursday created problems for the team at the other end of the floor. Against the Wildcats, the Huskies will need to have those problems be something in their rearview mirror.

“Playing Northern this week at their place, we need to start off strong,” she said. “We need to finish strong, put a full 40 together where we’re executing on both sides of the ball, even if we’re missing some shots, and continuing to execute offensively, (get) that high percentage shot, get a paint touch.

“I thought Thursday our lack of offense did affect our defense, which can’t happen.”

Having just one game to focus on this week is a positive, said Clayton.

“I think it is great when we have Northern, that it’s just the one game where we get a whole week to build up to that,” she said. “Everyone loves that game. Everyone gets locked in, and I think it is good just to be able to focus on that and to be able to get our urgency, our energy where it needs to be. Hopefully (we can get) our consistency for the full 40, and for a full week of practice too.”

One player the Huskies will need to keep an eye on this Saturday will be senior guard Makaylee Kuhn, who whether she is playing well or not, seems to always have big games against Michigan Tech.

“Kuhn is just, yeah, and has been, since her freshman year, an unbelievable scorer,” said Clayton. “I mean, she can shoot it. She has a super tough jumper. She can post up. She can get to the rim, and, yeah, there’s been years when we’ve been able to limit her in games, and there’s been years when she still goes off and we’ve been able to come out on top.”

Playing against Kuhn will require that urgency that Clayton has been stressing with her team.

“I think regardless, you have to keep on her, because she’s such a good player, and we’ll need to do that,” Clayton said. “We’ll need to slow her down. The tough part about Northern this year is they’re all good scorers. They can all shoot it, and they’re playing really well together right now.”

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS

The WIldcats come into Saturday’s game 12-5 on the season and 6-2 in GLIAC play after sweeping Parkside and Purdue Northwest last week.

Kuhn leads the team, avering 17.2 points per game and 7.2 rebounds. Sophomore guard Jacy Weisbrod is second on the team, averaging 10.8 points per game.

While she is not averaging in double digits yet, sophomore guard Sarah Newcomer has also been strong at 9.5 points per game.

“We are going to have to come out with an unbelievable defensive urgency, (and) take pride in getting a stop 1-on-1, where we don’t have to rotate on their shooters,” said Clayton, “but when we do fly around, get those stops.

“I think we don’t need to drastically change what we do defensively. I think it’s being aware of who you’re guarding, being aware of where she’s (Kuhn) at, and then just executing our game plan.”

GAME TIME

The Huskies and Wildcats will do battle Saturday at the Berry Events Center in Marquette at 1 p.m.