The Hillsdale College men's basketball team bounced back from a tough road loss on Thursday with the most dominant defensive performance in over a decade in a 77-36 win at Trevecca Nazarene on Saturday.
The Chargers held the Trojans to the lowest point total by a Hillsdale opponent since Nov. 11, 2011, when Hillsdale beat visiting U of M-Dearborn 65-31 to open the 2011-12 season.
Hillsdale held Trevecca to 30.4% shooting from the field and just 14 made field goals, including a 2 for 18 mark from 3-point range. The Chargers limited Trevecca to just one shot on most possessions, conceding just three offensive rebounds and outrebounding the Trojans overall, 34-25, while also turning 17 Trevecca turnovers into 21 points at the other end.
Offensively, Hillsdale overcame a slow start to seize control midway through the first half. The Chargers led just 10-9 at the 13:48 mark, but used an 11-2 run, sparked by a Joe Reuter 3-pointer to turn a close game into a double-digit lead. Hillsdale maintained that advantage into halftime, 32-20, then opened the second half on a 9-2 run in the first three minutes to pull away for good.
Four different Chargers finished in double figures in the contest, led by Kyle Goessler and Reuter, who each finished with 16 points to pace Hillsdale. Goessler was 6 of 8 from the floor and chipped in three rebounds, three assists and two steals, while Reuter shot 60% on field goals and added in five rebounds and four assists as well.
Bench players had a big role in the Chargers' success on Saturday. Charles Woodhams finished with 10 points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes, shooting 5 of 7 from the floor, while Noah Applegate added five points and a team-high eight rebounds, as well as two assists.
Peter Kalthoff finished with 10 points as well for Hillsdale, and Cole Nau chipped in seven points, three rebounds and two assists. All told, Hillsdale shot 53.8% from the floor in the victory, and went 13 of 14 from the free throw line as well.
Hillsdale improves to 17-2 overall and 10-2 in the G-MAC with the victory, and maintains a one and a half game lead in the conference standings thanks to Ashland's loss at Tiffin. The Chargers return home next Thursday for a huge game against Cedarville, which can't afford another G-MAC loss if it wants to be a major player in the title race after falling to Lake Erie on Saturday. That contest will take place at 7:30 p.m.
Photo by Charles Miller