Schedule
Lake Erie (2-4, 0-0 G-MAC) at Hillsdale (4-1, 0-0 G-MAC) | 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Ohio Dominican (1-3, 0-0 G-MAC) at Hillsdale (4-1, 0-0 G-MAC) | 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Lake Erie Roster | Ohio Dominican Roster | 2023-24 Hillsdale Stats | 2023-24 Lake Erie Stats | 2023-24 Ohio Dominican Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #2 Ashton Janowski, So, G, Pewaukee, WI/Pewaukee (9.7 ppg); #4 Charles Woodhams, Jr., G, Otsego, MI/Otsego (19.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg); #14 Walt Mattingly, So., F, Fort Mitchell, KY/Lake Forest (3.3 ppg, 3 rpg); #31 CJ Yarian, So., F, Cleveland, OH/St. Ignatius (5.7 ppg, 9 rpg, 3.3 apg); #33 Joe Reuter, Jr., F, Chippewa Falls, WI/Chippewa Falls (18.3 ppg, 5 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1 spg, 1.3 bpg)
Lake Erie: #4 Jacob Plantz, Sr., G, Denoa, OH/Genoa (11.4 ppg , 2.8 rpg, 1 spg); #12 Caleb Piks, Jr, F, Mentor, OH/Mentor (6.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1 spg); #15 Leon Hughes, Jr., F, Toledo, OH/Whitmer (5.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg); #23 Jake Leibacher, So, G, Castalia, OH/Margaretta (9.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.7 spg); #34 Jonny Manning, Jr., F/C, Grafton, OH/Midview (16.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2 spg, 1 bpg)
ODU: #4 Sean McKitrick, Fr., G, Dayton, OH/Archbishop Carroll (11.5 ppg, 1.5 spg); #10 Luke Ruth, Fr., G, Grove City, OH/Bishop Ready (9.8 ppg, 5 rpg, 4.5 apg); #15 JeJuan Weatherspoon, Sr., F, Columbus, OH/Northland/West Florida (22.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1 spg, 1 bpg); #20 Nate Webb, Sr., F, Cleveland, OH/Lakewood (6.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg); #22 Caleb Brooks, Fr., F, Florence, KY/Randall K. Cooper (14.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
Scouting the Opposition
Lake Erie: A strong 2022-23 season that saw Lake Erie tie for the fifth-best record in the G-MAC has led to high hopes for this campaign, with four starters and several key bench players returning.
It hasn't been the greatest start for the Storm, who are 2-4, but several close losses show that it would be a mistake to underestimate Lake Erie as conference play gets underway.
The Storm revolve around returning All-G-MAC post Jonny Manning, an athletic pivot who puts up big scoring and rebounding numbers while also serving as a plus defender for Lake Erie. Flanking Manning is experienced guard Jacob Plantz and sharpshooters Caleb Piks and Jake Leibacher, all solid offensive players with significant veteran savvy.
Lake Erie has enviable depth, with 11 players averaging nine or more minutes a game. Off the bench, transfers Kelvin Swims and Josh Irwin, as well as veteran guards Jordan Burge and Jordan Burton, give the Storm a variety of options to mix and match in lineups and keep all their players fresh.
The Storm are coached by Kyle Conley, now in his 15th season with the program and his eighth as head coach. Conley has led Lake Erie to some of its most successful seasons as a program and looks to be building once again in Painesville as the conference season gets under way.
ODU: After four straight seasons of sub .500 records and three seasons of missing the G-MAC Tournament, the Panthers are rebooting their program under new head coach Casey Kaufman.
Kaufman comes to ODU after a successful run at Malone, helping to lead the Pioneers to their only NCAA Tourney appearance. He'll do so with a near completely restructured roster that only returns one part-time starter, Nate Webb, and includes six freshmen and three transfers.
This new squad has shown some promise, with senior forward JeJuan Weatherspoon making an instant impact with 22.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game after transferring in from West Florida. The Panthers also have several strong freshmen, including Sean McKitrick, Caleb Brooks and Luke Ruth, who are all playing big minutes and making important contributions.
Ohio Dominican has struggled to a 1-3 start, but the record is misleading, with single-digit losses to solid Lewis, McKendree and Davis & Elkins teams. The Panthers have had no trouble scoring points, breaking the 70 point mark in every contest so far, but have struggled to consistently get stops, conceding 78 or more points in all four games. That mark will have to improve for the Panthers to contend for a G-MAC Tourney berth this season.
Scouting the Chargers
It's a new era for the Hillsdale College men's basketball team, as new head coach Keven Bradley begins the 2023-24 era with four new starters on the court after the Chargers graduated six seniors from the 2022-23 squad. Early returns are good so far, as Hillsdale has surged to a 4-1 start that includes quality in-region wins.
While this season does mark a new beginning for Hillsdale, there's plenty of continuity with the program's recent successes and the foundation built over the past two decades. Before taking the head job this past spring, Bradley spent three seasons as Hillsdale's associate head coach, helping guide the program to a 2020-21 G-MAC title, three 20-plus win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16 appearances, and a 2022 NCAA DII Midwest Regional title and Elite Eight appearance. His background makes him very familiar with the Chargers program and how to keep things rolling.
And while Hillsdale bid farewell to four starters this offseason, several important players return for Bradley in the 2023-24 season, led by the lone starting holdover, junior Joe Reuter, who earned second-team All-G-MAC honors while averaging 12.5 points and six rebounds per game for a 23-win Chargers squad in 2022-23. While Reuter has had a role to play for the Chargers since his first day on campus, this season will be a big chance for the junior to take on a key leadership role with the squad as an upperclassman.
Along with Reuter, Hillsdale also brings back a trio of important substitutes from 2022-23 who look poised to compete for starting roles. Guards Charles Woodhams, a redshirt junior, and Ashton Janowski, a true sophomore, were big in moments off the bench for Hillsdale last season and should see their roles increase in 2023-24, while fellow guards Sam Vasiu and Cole McWhinnie should take on bigger roles as well.
In the paint, Radisevic could step in as the Chargers' post presence after serving as the first big man off the bench in last year's rotation. Redshirt sophomore Walt Mattingly should also see a bigger role, as will redshirt freshmen C.J. Yarian and Garrett Bolte, who will both see their first collegiate action this season.
Hillsdale should also get some quality minutes from a five-player freshman class. Guards Logan Beaston and Mikey McCollum were both proficient scorers at the high school level and could bring some offensive punch, while Caleb Glaser and Connor Stonebraker will get a chance to break into the lineup in the post as well.
A young Chargers squad is looking to keep alive a string of six consecutive seasons with 19 or more wins, a stretch that includes four NCAA Tournament appearances and two G-MAC titles despite tough competition from a league that is rising rapidly in talent and accolades.
Matchup History
- Hillsdale is 21-3 all-time against Lake Erie and has won seven of the last eight against the Storm, though the Chargers did split last year with a 79-64 win at home and a 67-63 loss at Lake Erie. Against ODU, the Chargers are 19-5 overall and have won seven straight against the Panthers, reestablishing control of the series after ODU had won four of five in 2018 and 2019.
Other Notes
- The Chargers were picked to finish sixth in the G-MAC Preseason Poll released in late October. Defending G-MAC Tournament Champion Ashland was picked to win the league, and 2022-23 regular season champion Walsh was picked to finish second. Since joining the league in 2017-18, Hillsdale has never finished worse than third in the final G-MAC standings.
- Hillsdale is receiving votes in both the D2CSC Media Poll and NABC poll this week, and was ranked sixth in the Midwest Region by the D2CSC. Hillsdale has been ranked in at least one poll during the season for each of the last four seasons.
- Hillsdale is looking to continue an impressive run of recent success over the last six seasons that includes two G-MAC Championships, four 20-plus win campaigns, four NCAA DII Tournament berths, two Sweet 16 appearances, and a Midwest Regional title and Elite Eight appearance in 2021-22. The Chargers have had 21 or more wins in each of the last three seasons, and made an unprecedented three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
- While Hillsdale graduated four starters and three All-G-MAC players from last season's 23 win team, the Chargers do have significant returning talent, led by junior Joe Reuter. The G-MAC Freshman of the Year in 2021-22 and a second team All-G-MAC honoree in 2022-23, Reuter averaged 12.5 points and six rebounds per game last year as a key player for Hillsdale, and is off to an impressive start, averaging over 17 points and five rebounds in five games this season. His shooting percentages are close to the 50/40/90 mark that's considered a holy grail for efficient basketball scorers, as Reuter is making 51.7% of field goals, 39.3% of 3-pointers, and 81% of free throws so far. With a young squad in 2023-24, the Chargers will lean heavily on his experience and leadership.
- Junior Charles Woodhams made an impact off the bench for the Chargers last season, with six double digit scoring games and a season-high of 18 points against Cedarville on Dec. 1. Now in the starting lineup for the Chargers, he's starting to put up those big numbers on a nightly basis. The Otsego, Michigan native is averaging 17.6 points per game and scored a career high 21 points twice in wins over Saginaw Valley State and UM-Dearborn in four games this season. His 63.2% field goal percentage is stellar for a guard and ranks second among all G-MAC players through five games.
- Redshirt freshman CJ Yarian put together a special performance in his debut for the Chargers, recording 15 rebounds and eight assists in Hillsdale's 71-65 victory over Wayne State on Friday, Nov. 10. It's the most combined rebounds and assists in a single game by a Charger since Matt Mlynarchek put up 16 rebounds and seven assists against Mercyhurst on Jan. 20, 2003, over 20 years ago. The younger brother of three-time All-G-MAC player Austen Yarian, CJ figures to be an important part of the rotation for the Chargers in 2023-24.
- Senior Samuel Vasiu is seeing the first consistent minutes of his career for the Chargers in 2023-24, and he's made a huge impact for Hillsdale at the defensive end. Through five games, he's one of just seven G-MAC players averaging 2 or more steals a game.
- A consistent theme in the Chargers' success over the last six seasons has been excellent 3-point defense. Through five games, Hillsdale once again ranks among the leaders in opponent 3-point percentage in both the G-MAC and nationally, with the Chargers' mark of 26.6% ranking second in conference play and in the top 20 in all of NCAA DII.