Senior Day is always a special one for the athletes and their families. It is a day to celebrate a college career, and really, a lifetime, of basketball achievement.
It's all just a bit better when the team wins. And the Charger men's basketball team did exactly that Saturday afternoon.
Rallying from a 10-point halftime deficit, Hillsdale took down Tiffin University 89-77 in a loud Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena. The team's fourth win in a row improved it to 18-8 overall and 14-3 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
Hillsdale can now look ahead for a showdown at the University of Findlay next Saturday, with first place and the No. 1 seed in the G-MAC tournament possible on the line.
Before the game, the team's five seniors – Matthew Fisher, Noah Kalthoff, Trenton Richardson, Mike Travlos and Dylan Lowry – were honored in a pregame ceremony, joined by friends and family. However, Tiffin was in no mood to add to the festivities, and opened the game playing at a high level.
The Dragons buried nine of their first 11 field goal attempts from the field and led by as many as 12 points in the first half. Many of Tiffin's made baskets in the first half came with Hillsdale playing good defense. Balls were just going through the hoop time after time.
The Dragons led 45-35 at halftime, but the Chargers wasted little time in chopping down that lead as the second half began.
Hillsdale went on an 18-3 run that covered the first six-plus minutes of the second half, and just that quickly, a 10-point deficit had turned into a five-point lead. Hillsdale rallied by playing stingier defense and spreading the ball around on offense. Five different players scored points in that 18-3 run, and Hillsdale never looked back.
The Chargers shot a sizzling 71 percent from the floor in the second half, successfully countering Tiffin's 60 percent field goal rate from the first half.
All five Hillsdale starters scored 8 or more points, and Austen Yarian's 23 led the way. That tied a single-game career-high for Yarian, who was 10-for-15 from the floor. Freshman forward Patrick Cartier had 19 points and 7 rebounds, connecting on 8-of-14 from the floor.
Lowry popped in 19, making all nine of his free throws to go along with 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Senior Mike Travlos scored a season-high 11 points, making three 3-point baskets. Connor Hill added 8 with 5 assists. Cole Nau came off the bench to produce 5 points and 4 assists in 21 minutes.
PHOTO: MaryKate Drews