David Archambeau/For the Gazette Michigan Tech guard Kendall Standfest attempts a jump shot during a game against Roosevelt Saturday at the SDC Gym in Houghton.

By DAVER KARNOSKY

dkarnosky@miniggazette.com

HOUGHTON — With three losses in their last four, the Michigan Tech Huskies women’s basketball team is struggling at the moment. The Huskies are 5-9 overall and 2-4 in the GLIAC after losses to Northern Michigan on the road and Roosevelt at home last week.

Coach Sam Clayton is not pleased with how her team is playing.

“I think both losses hurt,” she said. “I think we just aren’t playing well right now. That’s clear to anyone who watches.”

Clayton admits that while it is frustrating to the fans, it is just as frustrating to the team itself.

“We have quarters where we’re scoring four and six points, which is frustrating,” she said. “It’s frustrating for our players, frustrating for us. So I think a big piece is really just our mindset. When we scored 25 in the first quarter against Roosevelt, and then you miss a couple shots and kind of, I think, let it get in our heads a little bit. Then same with the third quarter, we’re able to pick up the pressure. Both games, we kept competing hard, we kept playing hard, and that’s all we can ask of our players. They never gave up either game. Made it a close one against Northern, but I think really it’s being able to flip those scoring droughts a little bit sooner, being able to get something at the rim.”

Clayton feels that the issues the Huskies are suffering with are fixable.

“I think we can get more post entry,” she said. “I think we have really good posts to be able to score. In the paint, we were missing shots. We did outscore those out in the paint by a lot. But, on those scoring droughts, being able to get something and get us going.”

The Huskies do feature a roster with a number of young players on it, and that still factors in. However, Clayton doesn’t want to continue to rely on that as an excuse.

“I think we do have a lot of freshmen, sophomores, or just people that don’t have a ton of experience,” she said, “but I think now that we’re over halfway through the season, and we should be playing better, I think that our players know that.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily the youth. Having upperclassmen does always help, people who have been there before. But, even with how young we are, I think, moving forward, we can win every game we play. I believe that. Maybe people call me crazy. We’re not playing like we’re capable. If we play like we’re capable, I think our young players are capable of competing at a really high level. So, I still believe we’re going to get there. It’s getting the right mindset. It’s getting it done in practice, which is huge this week, making sure we are locked in so we’re ready to go for Saginaw (Valley State) and Wayne (State).”

After the loss to Roosevelt on Saturday, Clayton pointed out that practices have not gone, consistently, the way the team has needed them to.

“Our practice yesterday (Monday) was really sharp,” she said. “I do think, up to this point in the season, our practices have been inconsistent, or we’d had a slow start, or a slow finish, or things like that. So, if we can consistently be sharp, and have urgency in practice, which part of it is that youth, (they) don’t understand, this goes by like this, and (they) only get so many opportunities, teaching those players the importance of urgency, of every possession, practice, board games.

“I do think yesterday we had it, and we’re going to continue to do that. Part of that is Bella (Lenz) leading us, and she’s been doing that. She has the urgency. You can see that when she plays. I think players want to play well for her. So, I do think we’re gonna get there.”

At the same time, Clayton is happy with a lot of what she is seeing out of freshman guard Kendall Standfest, who is averaging nearly a double-double at 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

“Kendall has stepped up for us in a lot of games and made big shots,” said Clayton. “That huge 3 against Northern. She had some great attacks and finishes late against Roosevelt. I wish she would be more aggressive because she shoots it so well from 3. She finishes so well at the rim. You know what? Part of that’s me. That’s on me. I need to run sets for her to make her take more shots, and that’s a plan moving forward.

“She’s too good. She’s too good to not be more aggressive. She’s done a ton. She’s had double-doubles. She’s almost averaging a double-double. But, I think she’s even better than what we’ve seen. I think that’s on me to get her some more shots, because she is such a good player.”

SCOUTING THE

CARDINALS

The Saginaw Valley State Cardinals are 8-6 overall and 2-4 in GLIAC play after a weekend that saw them knock off Purdue Northwest on Thursday night, but fall to Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday.

Sophomore forward Megan McCalla leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.4 points per game. She is shooting 31.8% from beyond the arc. Senior guard Aleshia Jones is the only other Cardinals player averaging in double figures at 14.9 points per game.

SCOUTING THE

WARRIORS

The Wayne State Warriors come into this weekend 8-6 overall and 3-3 in GLIAC play after losing to Wisconsin-Parkside on Thursday and defeating Purdue Northwest on Saturday.

The Warriors are led by senior forward Shea Tripp, who averages 12.4 points per game. Junior forward Taylor Thompson is also over 12 at 12.1 points per game. Sophomore guard McKenna Ferguson has also been very good, averaging 11.6 points per game.

GAME TIMES

The Huskies and Cardinals will battle at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the SDC Gym. The Huskies and Warriors are set to tip off at 12 p.m. Saturday.