PARKSIDE 81, MICHIGAN TECH 73
The Parkside women's basketball team got another big win Thursday night at De Simone Gymnasium, as the Rangers took down visiting Michigan Tech 81-73 to stay atop the GLIAC North Division and win their sixth straight game. The Rangers, who improved to 8-6 overall and 5-1 in the GLIAC, have went for 80+ points four times during the winning streak, which is the longest since the 2014-15 squad won 12 straight games.
 
HEAR FROM COACH CONELY
 
DOWN THE STRETCH
After the Rangers took a 44-35 lead into the second half, the Huskies bounced back and held Parkside to just five points in the final 8:00 of the third quarter, helping MTU to a 55-54 lead at the end of the third. ­­Parkside opened the fourth on a 6-0 run and had their lead up to nine points midway through the final quarter. The Huskies couldn't get back within striking distance and Parkside iced the game away at the free-throw line, where the team scored their final 11 points of the game, including Taylor Stephen going 8-for-8 during the stretch.
 
STATWORTHY
Thursday's win makes back-to-back games the Rangers have made 20+ free throws, the only two games this year that Parkside has hit 20. Stephen led the Rangers with 20 points and went 11-of-12 at the free-throw line. Stephen also added eight rebounds and four assists, second on the team behind Maddy Harrison's eight rebounds and five assists. Alyssa Nelson, the reigning GLIAC North Player of the Week, finished with 19 points and hit a trio of 3-pointers. Carolina Rahkonen had 13 points while Claire Jakaitis had 14 off the bench.
 
As a team, Parkside shot 44.8-percent and hit nine triples while holding MTU to 38.8-percent from the floor. The Rangers were -9 in rebounding and +2 in the turnover battle.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Parkside will host their third straight home game on Saturday against Northern Michigan at 1 p.m. The Wildcats will come into Saturday 7-7 overall and 4-2 in the GLIAC, a game behind the Rangers in the standings.