Schedule
#5/7 Hillsdale (16-1, 9-1 G-MAC) at Kentucky Wesleyan (7-9, 3-5 G-MAC) | 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19 | Owensboro Sportscenter | Owensboro, Kentucky
#5/7 Hillsdale (16-1, 9-1 G-MAC) at Trevecca Nazarene (1-14, 0-9 G-MAC | 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 | Trojan Fieldhouse | Nashville, Tennessee
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | KWC Roster | Trevecca Roster | Hillsdale Stats | KWC Stats | Trevecca Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #2 Kyle Goessler, Sr., F, Brunswick, OH/Brunswick (11.1 ppg, 3 rpg, 2.4 apg); #3 Jack Gohlke, Sr., G, Pewaukee, WI/Pewaukee (12.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.5 apg); #5 Cole Nau, Sr, G, Brookfield, WI/Central (6.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.2 spg); #20 Peter Kalthoff, Sr., F, Hillsdale, MI/Hillsdale Academy (13.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg); #33 Joe Reuter, So., F, Chippewa Falls, WI/Chippewa Falls (12.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.1 apg)
KWC: #0 Antonio Thomas, Sr., G, Memphis, TN/Memphis East/Bradley (7.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.2 apg); #5 Jordan Roland, Sr., G, Flint, MI/Beecher/Notre Dame College (10.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.1 apg); #11 Markel Aune, Jr., G, Minneapolis, MN/Kennedy/Lawson State CC (12.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.5 apg); #12 Edward Jones Jr., So., F, New Orleans, LA/Indianapolis Pike (6.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg); #30 Ben Sisson, Sr., F. Fort Thomas, KY/Highlands (10.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
Trevecca: #11 Connor Martin, Fr., G, Clinton, TN/Anderson County (1.9 ppg); #12 Josh Goings, Fr., G, Salado, TX/Salado (6.5 ppg); #24 Caleb Terry, Jr., F/C, Albany, OH/Alexander (8.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.7 bpg); #25 Jake Mulder, Fr., F, Brentwood, TN/Ravenwood (5.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg); #35 Jose Waring, Fr., F, Georgetown, TX/Georgetown (9.3 ppg, 5 rpg)
Scouting the Opposition
KWC: Don't let the record fool you – the Panthers are an extremely talented team despite a 7-9 overall mark, made even more dangerous by the desperation created by being on the outside looking in of the G-MAC Tournament at present.
In general, the Panthers have been a tough team to figure out this year, with a mix of strong performances – a demolition of G-MAC title contender Cedarville and a close loss to Findlay on the road – as well as head-scratching defeats.
The Panthers have an experienced lineup, with four starters, including second-team All-G-MAC honoree Jordan Roland and four-year stalwart Ben Sisson, returning. Added to that core are two big-time transfers – current leading scorer Markel Aune, a play-making guard, and Borja Fernandez, a talented forward originally from Spain.
Consistency issues have plagued KWC throughout the season, but with a chance to pick up a huge win on their home court on Thursday night against the current G-MAC leader, the Panthers will be especially motivated and a tough team to deal with.
The Panthers are coached by Drew Cooper, who's in his fifth season with the program, including back-to-back G-MAC tournament berths in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Trevecca: The 2022-23 season is a near-complete reset for the Trojans, who return just five players and only one part-time starter from the 2021-22 squad.
Trevecca opened the season with a stunning upset of Midwest Region power Ferris State, but are 0-14 since, as injuries and player absences have made it hard to build chemistry and consistent lineups for a team that entered the season with precious few minutes on the court together.
The one key holdover so far for the Trojans is center Caleb Terry, who's played in all 15 games and is one of the top players on the team in scoring and rebounding while also averaging 1.7 blocks per game.
A variety of freshmen have played important roles for the Trojans so far, including big man Jose Waring, the team's leading scorer, and top guard Josh Goings.
Beyond that core, Trevecca is looking for young players to step up and develop as the season goes on, including those seven true freshmen currently playing significant minutes for the Trojans.
The Trojans are coached by Omar Mance, who is entering his fifth season with the program. He's compiled a 21-85 record in his time at Trevecca entering this season, and a 17-61 record in G-MAC play.
Scouting the Chargers
Outside of one setback on the road, Hillsdale has been tough to stop this season, currently holding a 16-1 record that tops the Midwest Region and a 9-1 mark that leads the G-MAC with 10 regular season games remaining.
The challenge entering 2022-23 for the Chargers was to remain among the elite in the Midwest Region while replacing several key players in the frontcourt. Hillsdale no longer has the only two-time first team All-American in program history as Patrick Cartier has graduated, and also gone are perennial All-G-MAC forward Austen Yarian and key defensive stopper Tavon Brown.
While those shoes are tough to fill, Hillsdale has shown it has plenty of talent and experience to draw on during an impressive start to the 2022-23 campaign. Hillsdale's entire starting backcourt returned intact and those three seniors – point guard Cole Nau and wings Kyle Goessler and Jack Gohlke – have taken on an increased scoring load while also providing key stability and veteran leadership
Also returning is sophomore forward Joe Reuter, who came on after the Christmas Break to become the Chargers' sixth man, and earn G-MAC Freshman of the Year honors in his first collegiate season in 2021-22. Now a starter in 2022-23, Reuter has lived up to that potential so far, turning in big performances at both ends of the floor while averaging double figures and leading Hillsdale in rebounding.
In the post, veterans Peter Kalthoff and Eric Radisevic have been just what the Chargers were looking for as an interior tandem, as Hillsdale looks to offset some of the lost production from the graduation of its top three post players from last season. Kalthoff in particular is developing into one of the best post players in the G-MAC and currently leads the Chargers in scoring.
On top of balanced scoring from its starters, the Chargers bench is beginning to perform at a high level as well. Sophomore Charles Woodhams has three double-figure scoring outings this season, all off the bench, giving Hillsdale credible depth. Noah Applegate and Ashton Janowski are also part of the bench rotation for the Chargers.
Directing the Chargers for the 16th straight season is head coach John Tharp, who is the all-time winningest coach in program history with a 290-145 record. Returning on Hillsdale's bench this year for a third season is associate head coach Keven Bradley, and he will be joined by first-year assistant John Cheng.
Other Notes
- Four straight wins over Kentucky Wesleyan in the last two seasons has helped Hillsdale seize control of a series the Panthers had been leading previous. The Chargers are 7-6 all time against KWC. Against Trevecca Nazarene, Hillsdale is a perfect 12-0 all-time, though both of the series' closest calls have come in Nashville, in 2017 and 2021.
- At 9-1 in G-MAC play, Hillsdale is atop the standings in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Ashland and Walsh are a game and a half behind the Chargers at 7-2 in conference play, and Malone, Cedarville and Findlay are all also still in the race with three losses. You can find the full standings here.
- After starting the 2022-23 season unranked, Hillsdale was tied for fifth in the nation in the most recent D2SIDA poll, and seventh in the NABC national rankings, making this the third consecutive season Hillsdale has spent time in the national top 25 rankings. Hillsdale has spent eight straight weeks in the national polls this season, and continues to be the top ranked team in the country from the Midwest Region.
- Hillsdale has a chance to do something special this year, coming into the season off of back-to-back 20-plus win campaigns. The Chargers have never had three consecutive 20-win seasons in the NCAA DII era, and not since a stretch of four straight from 1977-81 in its NAIA era. Hillsdale also is looking to make an unprecedented third-straight NCAA Tournament after qualifying in both 2021 and 2022.
- The Chargers have consistently been excellent at home under head coach John Tharp, finishing with just one home court loss three times (most recently 2020-21) and finishing with just two losses in Hillsdale three more times. 2022-23 has been no different, with Hillsdale going a perfect 9-0 in Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena so far. The Chargers are looking to become the first Hillsdale men's basketball team to go undefeated at home since the 2000-01 team went 14-0 in home contests.
- In dealing with the graduation of All-American center Patrick Cartier, the Chargers have replaced one of the best players in program history with impressive offensive balance. Five different Chargers have led Hillsdale in scoring in the first 17 games, and four players are averaging 10 or more points per game, with point guard Cole Nau and reserves Charles Woodhams and Eric Radisevic each chipping in over six points a game as well. The ability to get significant scoring punch from all five positions is helping the Chargers pose real problems for defenses so far in the 2022-23 season.
- Centers Peter Kalthoff and Eric Radisevic barely saw the court before this season, with just a combined 179 minutes played in the last three years, but have done an admirable job filling the void in the middle left by Cartier. Kalthoff is currently leading the Chargers in scoring with 13.3 points per game and was named the G-MAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week this past Monday after a 29 point, 10 rebound performance in a win over Northwood, while Radisevic is chipping in 6.1 points per contest off the bench for the Chargers. Both players should only continue improving with more playing time as the season goes on.
- Hillsdale's win over Tiffin on Thursday, Jan. 5 was one of the most impressively efficient offensive games by the Chargers in program history, as Hillsdale shot 66.1% (41-62) from the floor in a 95-63 victory. That shooting percentage is Hillsdale's best mark since going 23-33 (69.7) in a 85-74 win over Ashland in 2014. Of the 12 different players to attempt a shot for the Chargers against the Dragons, 11 shot 50% or better from the floor, including all five starters.
- Hillsdale's Kyle Goessler has been reliable at the free throw line throughout his career as a Charger, and his 82.6% percentage from the charity stripe to date ranks eighth all-time in Hillsdale history among men's basketball players with at least 100 made free throws – just in between recent program greats Stedman Lowry (82.8%) and Nate Neveau (82.3%).
- Over 16 years, there are certain hallmarks that successful Charger basketball teams have in common under head coach John Tharp, and the 2022-23 squad is no different. Through 17 games, the Chargers are giving up just 60.9 points per game, the second-best defense in the G-MAC and ninth in the nation at the DII level. They're accomplishing that feat by holding opponents to 41.5% shooting from the field, and to a 27.1% mark from 3-point range, the best in the G-MAC and in the nation at the NCAA DII level. The Chargers also keep opponents from getting second-chance opportunities by conceding the second fewest rebounds per game (30.9) of any team in the G-MAC, and they also take care of the basketball, with a 1.59 assist to turnover ratio, the best in the G-MAC and seventh in the nation.
- Already the winningest head coach in Hillsdale College history, Tharp is fast approaching two major career milestones that he could potentially reach this season if the Chargers have another special year. At 290 wins at Hillsdale, Tharp needs just 10 victories to become the first Charger men's basketball coach with 300 wins in program history, and he's only 7 wins away from becoming the 20th active coach at the NCAA DII level to reach 500 wins for his career as well. Although neither mark will be easy to reach, it's something worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses, especially as Hillsdale has gotten off to a strong start.