Over the past week, the Hillsdale College men's basketball team suffered some difficult losses.
Thursday night, it dug down for its biggest win of the season.
Playing a smart and productive offensive game, the Chargers knocked off the conference-leading and 19th-ranked team in Division II, Walsh University, 84-74 at the Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena. The victory pushes Hillsdale right back into the thick of the race for first place in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference with an 11-3 league mark. Walsh falls to 20-4 on the season.
Offensive balance was one of the big keys to victory on this night. The Chargers did an outstanding job of ball movement in their half court offense, probing the Cavalier defense for openings, wherever they may have been. Players were unselfish and moved without the basketball brilliantly to create high-percentage opportunities across the lineup.
Six players scored 8 or more points for Hillsdale, who got a big lift from senior guard Mike Travlos, who is now in a starting role for the Chargers. He found his shooting stroke in the second half, scoring 8 points after a critical stretch in which Walsh went on a 10-0 run to tighten what had been a big Charger lead. Travlos swished a pair of 3-pointers to lift his team and to hold the Cavs at bay.
The Cavs went on a 13-2 run later in the second half, but never could grab the lead at any point in the half. Hillsdale relied on its size inside, courtesy of Austen Yarian (16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) and Patrick Cartier (17 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 2 assists). The team's guards were able to find Yarian and Cartier on mismatches throughout the game, and those two stepped up and converted when they were most needed.
Senior Dylan Lowry played another steady all-around game with a team-high 20 points, making all six of his free throws. Forward Tavon Brown was a factor off the bench again with 9 points and 8 rebounds in 26 tough minutes on the floor.
PHOTO: MaryKate Drews