The season came to an end for the Hillsdale College men's basketball team under a flurry of noise and hustle plays by the host University of Findlay Oilers.
The Chargers fell to Findlay 67-47 Wednesday night in the 2014 GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinals at the Croy Gymnasium. Hillsdale's season ends with an 18-9 overall record.
Findlay, perhaps the toughest team in the conference on its own home floor, put on one of its characteristic shooting displays and scoring runs, and played a dominant game on the boards to control the game from the outset.
This was the fewest points scored (47) and field goals made (15) for the Chargers in any game this season. Hillsdale is now 0-7 versus Findlay all-time in the GLIAC Tournament, with six of those games taking place in Ohio.
Within the game's first nine minutes, the Oilers were able to build a double digit lead, 17-6, and the Chargers were never able to build any kind of momentum from there. The Chargers shot just 29 percent from the field in the first half. Findlay led by as many as 19 in the half, 31-12, but an 8-2 run late in the half by the Chargers was the most noise they would be able to make.
As the second half started, the Oilers quickly regained control, and led by 20 or more most of the way.
Findlay outrebounded Hillsdale 40-30 in the game, and 16-8 on the offensive boards, which helped led to the Oilers' huge edge in field goal attempts, along with the +7 (in favor of Findlay) turnover differential between the teams. Although the final rebounding totals weren't lopsided in Findlay's favor, while the game was in the balance, the Oilers controlled the boards.
Playing the final game of this historic season, and an all-world career, Charger senior forward Tim Dezelski finished with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Senior guard Brandon Pritzl and sophomore forward Kyle Cooper also scored 10 in the game for Hillsdale.
Photo by Jim Drews