The Charger men's basketball team put together a very impressive win in its 2017-18 season opener Friday night against one of the GLVC's top programs.
Hillsdale played a smart, responsible game in securing a 77-70 win over the University of Southern Indiana at Malone University. The 1-0 Chargers will face Illinois-Springfield Saturday to complete its opening weekend.
Hillsdale committed just seven turnovers in the entire game, playing calm despite pressure from the Screaming Eagles. On the other side, the Chargers forced 16 USI turnovers, giving it a key statistical advantage against a team that shot 56 percent from the floor in the second half.
A 12-point edge on 3-point shots was also key in the Chargers' favor. USI shot 6-for-14 from behind the arc as a team, while Hillsdale connected on 10 3-pointers, led by four from its most reliable outside shooter.
Senior Stedman Lowry led all scorers with 22 points, going 7-for-15 from the field. In 29 minutes, he only committed one turnover, and had 3 assists and 2 steals to round out an excellent start to his final season.
Junior guard Nate Neveau logged 33 minutes and also committed just one turnover, while going 6-for-9 from the floor, scoring 17 points with 6 assists and 2 steals. The definition of steady, Neveau was the front line reason why the Chargers committed so few turnovers in the game.
Junior Nick Czarnowski had 14 points and 7 rebounds, while senior Ryan Badowski had 13 points and 4 boards for the Chargers, who had four starters score in double figures.