Schedule
Hillsdale (12-7, 7-5 G-MAC) at Tiffin (12-5, 6-3 G-MAC) | 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1 | Gillmor Center | Tiffin, OH
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Tiffin Roster| 2023-24 Hillsdale Stats | 2023-24 Tiffin Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #2 Ashton Janowski, So, G, Pewaukee, WI/Pewaukee (9.4 ppg); #4 Charles Woodhams, Jr., G, Otsego, MI/Otsego (14.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 apg); #22 Samuel Vasiu, Sr., G, Grand Rapids, MI/NorthPointe Christian (7.2 ppg, 1.4 spg); #31 CJ Yarian, So., F, Cleveland, OH/St. Ignatius (5 ppg, 5.6 rpg); #33 Joe Reuter, Jr., F, Chippewa Falls, WI/Chippewa Falls (15.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.2 spg)
Tiffin: #2 Morgan Taylor, Sr., G, Chicago, IL/Triton College, (14.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.1 spg); #3 KJ Pruitt, So., G, Lewisville, TX/Trinity Valley CC/IUPUI (4.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.5 spg); #5 Brandon Swaby, Sr., G, Fort Lauderdale, FL/Incarnate Word (8 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.4 spg); #14 Ian Lopez, Sr., G, Irving, TX/Texas A&M Commerce (9.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1 spg); #33 Wesley Jordan, Sr., F, Indianapolis, IN/Lawrence Central (15.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.2 spg)
Scouting the Opposition
Tiffin: There were high expectations for Tiffin entering the 2023-24 season, returning four starters after a fourth-place finish in 2022-23, and so far the Dragons have lived up to the hype, looking like a legitimate contender in a deep G-MAC.
The Dragons have always been an explosive offensive team under head coach Tom Church, and this year's group is no different. Despite injuries to starters Carius Key and Joshua Rivers, Tiffin has kept on rolling, led by impressive performances from experienced senior starters Wesley Jordan, Morgan Taylor and Ian Lopez, as well as important contributions from DI transfers KJ Pruitt and Brandon Swaby.
With their up-tempo style, the Dragons lead the G-MAC in turnover margin and in steals. Improved defense has made a big difference for Tiffin, which has improved its win total in each of the last two seasons and looks on track to do so again for a third straight year. The Dragons rank fourth in the G-MAC in scoring defense with 66.4 points per game, their best ever mark in the G-MAC. Veteran leadership helps, with several seniors in the rotation, as well as transfers who have a lot of college basketball under their belts.
Church is in his sixth season coaching the Dragons and led Tiffin to a big breakthrough last season. He also was the head coach at IU-Kokomo and St. Joseph College before taking over the Dragons in 2018.
Scouting the Chargers
The Hillsdale College Chargers have held their own in a brutal and stacked G-MAC race, staying in the mix for the conference tournament at the halfway mark of the G-MAC schedule with a 7-5 record. Now in the midst of a long road trip, Hillsdale will have a chance to decide its own fate over the next month of contests.
While this season does mark a new beginning for Hillsdale, there's plenty of continuity with the program's recent successes and the foundation built over the past two decades. Before taking the head job this past spring, Bradley spent three seasons as Hillsdale's associate head coach, helping guide the program to a 2020-21 G-MAC title, three 20-plus win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16 appearances, and a 2022 NCAA DII Midwest Regional title and Elite Eight appearance. His background makes him very familiar with the Chargers program and how to keep things rolling.
And while Hillsdale bid farewell to four starters this offseason, several important players return for Bradley in the 2023-24 season, led by the lone starting holdover, junior Joe Reuter, who earned second-team All-G-MAC honors while averaging 12.5 points and six rebounds per game for a 23-win Chargers squad in 2022-23. While Reuter has had a role to play for the Chargers since his first day on campus, this season will be a big chance for the junior to take on a key leadership role with the squad as an upperclassman.
Along with Reuter, Hillsdale also brings back a trio of important substitutes from 2022-23 who look poised to compete for starting roles. Guards Charles Woodhams, a redshirt junior, and Ashton Janowski, a true sophomore, were big in moments off the bench for Hillsdale last season and should see their roles increase in 2023-24, while fellow guards Samuel Vasiu and Cole McWhinnie should take on bigger roles as well.
In the paint, Radisevic could step in as the Chargers' post presence after serving as the first big man off the bench in last year's rotation. Redshirt sophomore Walt Mattingly should also see a bigger role, as will redshirt freshmen C.J. Yarian and Garrett Bolte, who will both see their first collegiate action this season.
Hillsdale should also get some quality minutes from a five-player freshman class. Guards Logan Beaston and Mikey McCollum were both proficient scorers at the high school level and could bring some offensive punch, while Caleb Glaser and Connor Stonebraker will get a chance to break into the lineup in the post as well.
A young Chargers squad is looking to keep alive a string of six consecutive seasons with 19 or more wins, a stretch that includes four NCAA Tournament appearances and two G-MAC titles despite tough competition from a league that is rising rapidly in talent and accolades.
Matchup History
- Hillsdale has dominated the series with Tiffin that began in the 1977-78 season, with a 34-4 overall record and 15 straight victories over the Dragons, including a sweep of both meetings in 2022-23 and a 56-51 home victory earlier this season. Tiffin's last victory in the series was a 75-70 win on Feb. 6, 2014.
Other Notes
- The Chargers were picked to finish sixth in the G-MAC Preseason Poll released in late October. Defending G-MAC Tournament Champion Ashland was picked to win the league, and 2022-23 regular season champion Walsh was picked to finish second. Since joining the league in 2017-18, Hillsdale has never finished worse than third in the final G-MAC standings.
- Hillsdale is looking to continue an impressive run of recent success over the last six seasons that includes two G-MAC Championships, four 20-plus win campaigns, four NCAA DII Tournament berths, two Sweet 16 appearances, and a Midwest Regional title and Elite Eight appearance in 2021-22. The Chargers have had 21 or more wins in each of the last three seasons, and made an unprecedented three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
- While Hillsdale graduated four starters and three All-G-MAC players from last season's 23 win team, the Chargers do have significant returning talent, led by junior Joe Reuter. The G-MAC Freshman of the Year in 2021-22 and a second team All-G-MAC honoree in 2022-23, Reuter averaged 12.5 points and six rebounds per game last year as a key player for Hillsdale, and is off to an impressive start, averaging over 15 points and six rebounds in 19 games this season. With a young squad in 2023-24, the Chargers will lean heavily on his experience and leadership.
- Junior Charles Woodhams made an impact off the bench for the Chargers last season, with six double digit scoring games and a season-high of 18 points against Cedarville on Dec. 1. Now in the starting lineup for the Chargers, he's starting to put up those big numbers on a nightly basis. The Otsego, Michigan native is averaging 14 points per game and scored a career high 26 points in a tight victory over Lake Erie to open conference play on Nov. 30. His 54.1% field goal percentage is stellar for a guard and ranks fourth among all G-MAC players.
- Redshirt freshman CJ Yarian put together a special performance in his debut for the Chargers, recording 15 rebounds and eight assists in Hillsdale's 71-65 victory over Wayne State on Friday, Nov. 10. It's the most combined rebounds and assists in a single game by a Charger since Matt Mlynarchek put up 16 rebounds and seven assists against Mercyhurst on Jan. 20, 2003, over 20 years ago. The younger brother of three-time All-G-MAC player Austen Yarian, CJ figures to be an important part of the rotation for the Chargers in 2023-24.
- Senior Samuel Vasiu is seeing the first consistent minutes of his career for the Chargers in 2023-24, and he's made a huge impact for Hillsdale at the defensive end. Through 19 games, he's tied for third among all G-MAC players with an impressive 1.4 steals per game.
- A consistent theme in the Chargers' success over the last six seasons has been excellent 3-point defense. Through 19 games, Hillsdale once again ranks among the leaders in opponent 3-point percentage in both the G-MAC and nationally, with the Chargers' mark of 31.2% ranking second in the G-MAC and 38th in the nation among all NCAA DII teams. That's helped Hillsdale hold opponents to 65.4 points per game, third in the G-MAC and 14th in the nation as well.