For a team playing their first game of the season, the Hillsdale College men's basketball team sure didn't look the part.
Austen Yarian, in particular.
The senior power forward went 10 of 17 from the floor and 6 of 10 from 3-point range for a career-high 28 points as the Chargers rolled past visiting Trevecca Nazarene for a 95-53 victory in their season opener on Saturday at Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena.
Yarian a second-team All-G-MAC honoree as a junior in 2019-20, started hot, knocking down a 3-pointer 44 seconds in and scoring seven of the Chargers' first 12 points, and never let up, finishing with 17 first half points and adding another 11 points in the second.
Much like Yarian, the Chargers also started hot, rolling out to a 27-6 lead just under 10 minutes into the game, and stayed that way, particularly from 3-point range. Hillsdale shot 55% from beyond the arc in the victory and made 21 3-pointers, just two shy of the school record of 23 set on Dec. 22, 1992 against Spring Arbor. 11 different players knocked down a 3-pointer for the Chargers on the night, as Hillsdale kept the ball moving and consistently found open shooters on the perimeter. 22 of Hillsdale's 31 made baskets were assisted, with guards Connor Hill and Cole Nau each finishing with six assists apiece.
As impressive as the Chargers were offensively, they were just as good defensively, holding Trevecca to single digits for the first 15 minutes of the game to build an insurmountable lead. Hillsdale held the Trojans to just 38% shooting from the floor and 23.1% from 3-point range, and forced Trevecca into 18 turnovers on the night.
Yarian finished with six rebounds to go with his 28 points, and sophomore Jack Gohlke chipped in a career-high 12 points on 4 for 6 shooting from 3-point range off the bench as well for the Chargers.
Reigning G-MAC Freshman of the Year Patrick Cartier chipped in 10 points as well for the Chargers. 11 different players scored for Hillsdale in the victory, including redshirt freshman Noah Applegate and true freshman Eric Radisevic, who each got the first buckets of their collegiate career.
It's a strong start for Hillsdale (1-0, 1-0 G-MAC), especially against a Trevecca Nazarene squad that gave fellow G-MAC title contender Findlay a scare in a 80-73 Oilers victory on Thursday night leading into this game. The Chargers look to keep the momentum going when they travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on an always tough Ohio Dominican squad next Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Photo: Austen Yarian (24) by Camryn Olson.