The path the Hillsdale College women's basketball team has had to walk so far in the 2020-21 season has been a difficult one.
In their first three games of the year, the Chargers have taken on opponents picked to finish first, fourth and fifth in the preseason Great Midwest Athletic Conference poll.
The challenges don't ease up this week, as Hillsdale hosts the team picked to finish second, Kentucky Wesleyan, on Tuesday night in a rescheduled contest before facing Ursuline this Saturday.
While it won't be easy, the Chargers do have home court advantage in both games this week, and also have an edge in recent experience on the Panthers, who have yet to play this season.
In order to comply with current Michigan Department of Health and Human Services mandates, spectators will not be allowed at either of this week's games. Fans who want to follow along with the action can do so online via the Great Midwest Digital Network. Wecasts for both games are linked below.
Schedule
Kentucky Wesleyan (0-0, 0-0 GMAC) at Hillsdale (0-3, 0-3 G-MAC)| 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Ursuline (0-3, 0-3 G-MAC) at Hillsdale (0-3, 0-3 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Follow/Watch
Live Stats vs Ky. Wesleyan | Webcast vs Ky. Wesleyan | Live Stats vs Ursuline | Webcast vs Ursuline
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Ky. Wesleyan Roster | Ursuline Roster | 2020-21 Hillsdale Stats | 2019-20 Ky. Wesleyan Stats | 2020-21 Ursuline Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #21 Lauren Daffenberg, Jr., G, Yorkville, IL/Yorkville (15.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg); #22 Grace Touchette, Jr., G, Northfield, MN/Northfield (12.3 ppg, 4 rpg, 5 apg); #3 Jaycie Burger, Sr., G, Pittsford, MI/Pittsford (11.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.3 apg); #5 Sydney Mills, So., F, DeWitt, MI/DeWitt (8 ppg, 17.3 rpg); #24 Anna LoMonaco, Jr., F, Caledonia, MI/Caledonia (6.7 ppg, 3 rpg)
Kentucky Wesleyan: #23 Kaylee Clifford, Sr., G, Bedford, KY/Trimble County (8.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg in 2019-20); #22 Cali Nolot, Jr., F, New Salisbury, IN/North Harrison (7.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg in 2019-20); #10 Kaylee Duncan, Sr., G, Dixon, KY/Webster County (4.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg in 2019-20); #11 Lily Miller, Sr., G, Harned, KY/Breckinridge County (7.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.4 apg in 2019-20; #12 Jordyn Barga, So., F, Farmland, IN/Monroe Central (6.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg in 2019-20)
Ursuline: #10 Morgan Mattimore Sr., G, Delta, OH/Delta (13 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.4 apg); #5 Madison Cloonan, Fr., G, Kirtland, OH/Cornerstone Christian (10 ppg, 9 rpg); #4 Rebekah Green, Jr., G, Jackson, OH/Jackson (10.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg); #32 Alyssa Evans, So., G, Amanda, OH/Amanda-Clearcreek (8 ppg, 3 rpg); #20 Michaela Cloonan, Fr., G, Kirtland, OH/Cornerstone Christian (6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4 apg)
Scouting the Opposition
Kentucky Wesleyan: Though they haven't yet started the season, there's big expectations for an experienced Panthers squad that won a share of the G-MAC title in 2018-19 and finished a close second to Walsh in 2019-20.
Though Kentucky Wesleyan lost star guard Keelie Lamb to graduation, the Panthers return 11 of their top 12 leading scorers from last season, including second team All-G-MAC players Lily Miller and Kaylee Clifford.
Over the last couple of seasons, the Panthers have been known for their extreme balance and depth. Nine different players averaged between 13 and 5 points for Wesleyan last season, and the team's second-leading scorer in 2019-20 wasn't a starter but sixth man Tahlia Walton. That depth is what allows the Panthers to have one of the league's best offenses on a yearly basis despite lacking a traditional go-to scorer, and it's also what's made the Panthers one of the best defensive teams in the G-MAC the last two years as well.
The Panthers are coached by the husband and wife team of Caleb and Nicole Nieman, who are entering their 11th season at Wesleyan after compiling the best record through ten seasons in program history at 198-90. During their tenure, the Niemans have guided the Panthers to three NCAA tournament appearances and the first conference tournament title in program history in 2014.
Ursuline: It's been a difficult start to the season for the Arrows, who've lost three straight to open 2020-21, though Ursuline's most recent defeat at Tiffin was a competitive 77-69 loss.
Growing pains were to be expected for the Arrows, a young squad that completely remade its lineup in the offseason. Ursuline has three players who are new to the team this year in the starting lineup – Urbana transfer Morgan Mattimore, who leads the team in scoring through three games, and freshmen guards Michaela and Madison Cloonan.
The fresh faces have pushed last year's leading scorer, Tamara Mathis, to a sixth man role, and part-time starters in 2019-20 Sam Jenkins and Aubrie Marsh are also coming off the bench this year. These additions have made the Arrows a deeper team, and could make Ursuline better in the long run as players adapt to new teammates and new roles.
Leading Ursuline is head coach Shannon Sword, now entering her 11th season with the Arrows. During her time at Ursuline, Sword has guided the Arrows to two G-MAC regular season titles, two NCAA tournament appearances and a then-G-MAC record of 22 consecutive conference wins. She was also the G-MAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2016.
Scouting Hillsdale
After two competitive outings against tough G-MAC opponents to open the season, Hillsdale had a rough contest against Walsh this past Saturday, falling 92-57 to the two-time defending G-MAC champions on the road to drop to 0-3 on the season.
While it hasn't been the start the Chargers were hoping for, there have been bright spots for Hillsdale. The offense has looked excellent at points, with great balance between all five starters and top post reserve Arianna Sysum. Leading the way is junior Lauren Daffenberg, who's averaging 15.7 points per game, with fellow junior Grace Touchette close behind at 12.3 ppg.
Hillsdale has also been strong on the glass, led by sophomore Sydney Mills, who has had 15 or more rebounds in all three games this season and is currently leading the G-MAC with 17.3 rebounds per game.
Where the Chargers must improve is on the defensive end of the floor. Hillsdale is giving up a G-MAC worst 88 points per game, though those numbers are slightly skewed by the strength of the competition the Chargers have played so far. Improving that, as well as a G-MAC worst turnover margin, could turn losses into wins as the season continues.
Other Notes
Kentucky Wesleyan is a perennial power in the G-MAC, and has been a tough opponent for Hillsdale in the past, going 4-2 against the Chargers in six meetings, including season sweeps in both 2018-19 and 2019-20…Hillsdale has a narrow 4-3 edge over Ursuline in seven meetings, but lost both contests against the Arrows last year, 87-81 at home on Jan. 2, and 74-57 on the road on Feb. 22…with 15 rebounds in last Saturday's loss to Walsh, Sydney Mills kept her per game average for the season at 17.3, the highest rebounds per game average among women's basketball players not just in the G-MAC but across all three divisions of the NCAA, by 2.3 rebounds per game. Her 21 rebounds in the season opener against Findlay are also a single-game high across all NCAA Divisions to date. While it's early in the year, Mills is on pace for the third-best rebounding season of all time in program history, despite having at least five less games scheduled for this season than anyone currently in the top 10 did in the year they set their mark.