The Hillsdale College women's basketball team built some momentum in non-conference play over the holiday break, reeling off five straight wins in non-exhibition contests.
That strong play continued on Thursday night as Hillsdale re-entered G-MAC play, with the Chargers taking down visiting Northwood in a 79-76 thriller to run its win streak to six.
With the game virtually deadlocked at the half, Hillsdale seized control in the third quarter, outscoring the Timberwolves 29-17. Sophomore Caitlin Splain played a big role in keying the run, knocking down three 3-pointers for nine of her game-high 18 points, and Hillsdale was hot overall from beyond the arc, going 6 for 10 from deep in the quarter with additional 3-pointers from Carly Callahan, Lauren McDonald and Dani Salenbien to turn a two-point halftime deficit into a double-digit lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Chargers kept the Timberwolves at bay for most of the final period, leading by eight points with 1:38 to go, but Northwood refused to go quietly, going 4 for 4 from the free throw line and knocking in a 3-pointer off an offensive rebound to cut Hillsdale's lead to 75-74 with 19 seconds to play.
Hillsdale, however, refused to give ground, going 4 for 4 themselves from the free throw line down the stretch with key makes from seniors Grace Touchette and Sydney Mills to keep Northwood from tying the game in the closing seconds and secure a big conference victory.
Three-point shooting was the difference in the contest. Hillsdale knocked down 12 from beyond the arc compared to Northwood's seven, shooting nearly seven full points better from 3-point range. Leading the way was Splain, who hit five triples for 18 points in the win.
Three other Chargers finished in double-figures in an impressive offensive performance. Touchette hit three 3-pointers of her own and finished with 16 points, four assists and three rebounds, and McDonald added 13 points and six rebounds off the bench. Senior Arianna Sysum just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds for Hillsdale, which had a big night on the glass, with Peighton Nelson chipping in eight rebounds and Mills adding eight as well.
Callahan just missed giving Hillsdale a fifth player in double figures with nine points, and Salenbien added four rebounds and led the team in assists with five.
The Chargers improve to 10-6 overall and 3-3 in the G-MAC with the victory, moving into a three-way tie for fifth place in the conference standings. Hillsdale has a huge opportunity on Saturday at home with third place Malone coming to town for a 1 p.m. tip-off -- a victory would allow the Chargers to jump the Pioneers in the standings and get back above .500 in conference play.
Photo by Charles Miller