Two winning streaks came to an end for the Hillsdale College men's basketball team Saturday afternoon.
The Chargers had won three in a row since the calendar turned to 2015, and had won three straight home regular season meetings against longtime rival Findlay. Both came to an end with the Oilers' 65-58 win over the Chargers at Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena.
The loss drops Hillsdale to 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the GLIAC. The Chargers now begin the North Division portion of their schedule next week when they travel to Northwood Thursday, and Lake Superior State Saturday.
The Chargers fell victim to an Oilers team that executed at a high level, particularly on offense. Findlay spaced the floor effectively, and knocked down shots, to the tune of 50 percent, both overall (25/50) and from the 3-point arc (10/20). On the other end of the floor, the Chargers did make 45 percent of their shots, but were half as effective on 3-point shots as the Oilers, only making five in the game.
The teams played an even first half, but Findlay hit Hillsdale with a 13-0 run that took less than four minutes to take a 45-30 lead with 16:42 left in the game. The Chargers substituted four players into the game, and moments later, they sprang back to life. Non-starters scored 11 points in a 13-5 Hillsdale run that closed the gap to seven, 50-43.
Hillsdale would get to as close as three points down in the waning moments of the game, but could get no closer. With his team down 61-56, junior Kyle Cooper was whistled for an offensive foul after he appeared to have made a layup that would have cut the lead down to a single possession with 47 seconds left. Instead, the call went Findlay's way, and the Oilers free throwed their way to victory from there.
Cooper led Hillsdale with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, but no other Charger scored in double figures in the game. Rhett Smith had 6 points and 6 rebounds off the bench, while Garrett Jones added 7 off the bench. Zach Miller handed out 6 assists in the game.
This was Findlay's first regular season win at Hillsdale since January 2011.