Just a few points short.
In the end, the Hillsdale College men's basketball team gave it everything it had - particularly on the defensive end - but came up just short in a 65-59 loss to Walsh University in a Great Midwest Athletic Tournament semifinal game at the University of Findlay.
The Chargers' season comes to an end with a 19-10 overall record.
Points and easy shots were rare for both teams in this game, as the two best defenses in the G-MAC during the regular season played up to their tough reputations. There weren't many open shots to go around for anyone. Walsh made a couple, at a key moment in the game, that turned out to be a turning point.
Hillsdale battled back to tie the game at 50 apiece when the Cavs hit a layup and a 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions. A free throw by the Cavs made it a 56-50 lead with 4:17 to go and the Chargers never regained a tie or the lead.
The Chargers shot 38 percent from the field and were able to make just 5 of 19 from 3-point land. Virtually every other statistical category was even including rebounds, blocks and bench points.
Junior guard Dylan Lowry, fresh off being named Second-Team All-Conference, led Hillsdale with 17 points, going 5-for-6 from the free throw line.
Senior Nick Czarnowski, playing the final game of his fine career, had 12 points, going 4-for-5 from the field and made all four of his free throws.
Sophomore Austen Yarian produced 10 points and a team-high 7 rebounds.
Walsh led 30-27 at halftime and the lead changed hands a handful of times in the first part of the second half until the Cavs put that 6-0 run together that gave them the distance they needed.
PHOTO: Kyle Niermann