Schedule
Cedarville (6-10, 4-6 G-MAC) at Hillsdale (12-9, 5-6 G-MAC) | 5:30 p.m. ET Thursday, Jan. 26 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Hillsdale (12-9, 5-6 G-MAC) at Northwood (7-11, 4-7 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 21 | Bennett Sports Center | Midland, MI
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Cedarville Roster | Northwood Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Cedarville Stats | Northwood Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #4 Peighton Nelson, So., G, Cottage Grove, WI/Monona Grove (5.4 ppg, 2.7 apg, 1.5 spg); #5 Sydney Mills, Sr., F, DeWitt, MI/DeWitt (10.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg); #10 Carly Callahan, So., G/F, Columbus, OH/Hilliard Bradley (9.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg);#22 Grace Touchette, Sr., G, Northfield, MN/Northfield (14.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.1 apg); #32 Arianna Sysum, Sr., F, Eaton Rapids, MI/Eaton Rapids (6.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg
Cedarville: #3 Anne Wheeler, Jr., G, Cincinnati, OH/Homeschool (9.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.6 apg); #4 Paige Garr, Sr., G, Goshen, OH/Goshen (14.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.5 apg); #12 Abby Freeman, Sr., Delta, OH/Delta (2.9 ppg); #13 Makenna Fee, Sr., F, Seymour, IN/Seymour (6.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.2 bpg); #23 Lydia Sweeney, Jr., G, Grand Island, NY/Grand Island Senior (15.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3 apg, 1.7 spg)
Northwood: #3 Makenzie Todd, Jr., G, Grand Ledge, MI/Grand Ledge (14.8 ppg); #21 Maizie Taylor, Jr., G, Midland, MI/Dow (6.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.6 spg); #22 Ava DiMilia, Jr., F, New Boston, MI/Huron (8.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.1 spg); #25 Maddie Voelker, So., G, Goodrich, MI/Goodrich (11 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.1 spg); #31 Adele Kemp, Jr., F/G, Greenville, MI/Greenville (7.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 spg)
Scouting the Opposition
Cedarville: The Yellow Jackets are a team in transition after graduating three starters, including first team All-G-MAC guard Emily Chapman, last year.
Despite significant holes to fill, Cedarville also returns some key pieces, including starting guards Lydia Sweeney and Paige Garr, both of whom are averaging 14-plus points per game. The Yellow Jackets also get back two players who were slated to play a big role in 2021-22 but suffered season-ending injuries in Anne Wheeler and Makenna Fee, both of whom are in the starting lineup.
Along with those returning contributors, Cedarville is getting good minutes from sophomore Kat Weakley, who is playing a significant role off the bench after seeing limited action as a freshman.
While Cedarville's record isn't pretty, a slow start to the season is at least partially responsible -- the Yellow Jackets are 4-2 in their last six contests and rounding into form to make a playoff push, making them more dangerous than that 6-10 mark indicates.
Cedarville is coached by Jason Smith, entering his second season after leading the Yellow Jackets to a 17-12 record and a G-MAC Tournament berth last year. Smith came to Cedarville off an impressive run at Bryan College in Tennessee, where he led the Lions to five Appalachian Athletic Conference titles and six appearances in the NAIA Division II National Tournament.
Northwood: The Timberwolves have had a rough recent stretch with four losses in five games, but remain dangerous and will be a desperate team down the stretch as they currently sit on the outside looking in of the G-MAC Tournament picture.
Northwood has been hit hard by injuries that have put two presumptive starters on the sidelines, but have stayed competitive under the leadership of returning starter Makenzie Todd, who leads the team in scoring.
Three of Northwood's top substitutes from last year, guard Adele Kemp and posts Ava DiMilia and Maddie Voelker, also have played a big role early on for the Timberwolves, while freshman guard Maeve St. John has been an impressive debutant off the bench, averaging 6.6 points per game.
While Northwood has struggled defensively and on the boards, they're finding success by taking care of the basketball and forcing opponent turnovers, with a 3.28 turnover margin that's second in the G-MAC so far. The Timberwolves are also taking advantage of opportunities at the free throw line, converting at an 80.2% clip.
Northwood is coached by Autumn Haggadone, now in her second season in charge after leading the Timberwolves to a 18-10 record in her first season. Haggadone was an assistant for four years at Northwood prior to taking the head job, and was also an assistant coach for two seasons at her alma mater, Albion College.
Scouting Hillsdale
Hillsdale hits the stretch run of the season in seventh place in the G-MAC – in the tournament field if the 2022-23 campaign ended today but with work to do to secure their spot.
The next week is huge for a Chargers squad looking to end a four-year conference tourney drought, with two tough but winnable games that would greatly improve Hillsdale's chances of making it in the postseason field if they went in the Chargers' favor.
This season, all five starters returned from the 2021-22 team for Hillsdale, including All-G-MAC players Grace Touchette and Sydney Mills, and G-MAC Freshman of the Year Peighton Nelson. Those three stars, along with defensive menace Arianna Sysum and versatile guard Dani Salenbien, give Hillsdale a great nucleus to build around.
While Nelson is the headliner, Hillsdale is expecting great things from all the members of this year's sophomore class. Second-year players Carly Callahan and Caitlin Splain played well off the bench for the Chargers last year and should be ready for bigger roles this season, while Kendall McCormick could make an impact after a year of adjusting to the college game as well.
Hillsdale has enviable depth, with a rotation that also includes senior forward Maverick Delp and gifted transfers Lauren McDonald and Ashley Konkle, giving the Chargers a variety of schematic options and weapons to throw at opponents.
Hillsdale is coached by Charlie Averkamp, who returns for his third season with the Chargers this year, along with second-year assistants Brianna Brennan and Brooke Bailey.
Other Notes
- The Chargers currently sit in seventh place in the G-MAC through 11 games, a game back of Ursuline and Walsh, and a half-game ahead of this week's first opponent, Cedarville. Defending G-MAC Champion Ashland, the consensus top-ranked team in the country at the NCAA DII level, is currently atop the standings at 12-0, with Kentucky Wesleyan a game behind in second place at 10-1. See the full standings here.
- Cedarville has an 8-3 lead all time over Hillsdale in the series between the two teams, including an 89-83 victory in Cedarville earlier this season, on Dec. 1. Hillsdale's last win came on Dec. 11, 2021, last year, in an 80-74 contest. Northwood also leads the all-time series with Hillsdale, 25-30, but Hillsdale has won two of the last three meetings, including a 79-76 victory at home earlier this month, on Jan. 5.
- Senior Grace Touchette added a special accomplishment in a star-studded career at Hillsdale this past weekend, becoming just the sixth Charger women's basketball player to surpass 1,500 points for her career on Saturday at Trevecca Nazarene. At 1,507 for her career entering this weekend, Touchette needs just five points to pass Charger legend Chelsea Harrison for fifth all-time in career scoring. Touchette is also fifth all-time at Hillsdale in career assists with 346, third in career 3-pointers made with 206, and sixth in career field goals made with 534.
- This weekend is a big test for Hillsdale as the Chargers face another weekend with a game at home and on the road, in the midst of a dramatic split this season between home and away games. The Chargers are 10-1 in Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena and 2-0 in neutral site games, but 0-8 on the road, scoring nearly 10 less points per game in away contests. If Hillsdale can close that gap for the stretch run, it could be a huge finish for the Chargers.
- Senior Sydney Mills became just the 20th player in Chargers women's basketball history to reach an important career milestone two weeks ago, surpassing 1,000 points in Hillsdale's win over Ursuline. Mills is closing in on another milestone as well with 885 career rebounds, within striking distance of becoming just the third player in Chargers history to surpass 1,000 rebounds for her career as well. A two-time second-team All-G-MAC honoree, Mills is averaging a double-double for the third straight season and has eight double-doubles so far in 2022-23.
- While many of Hillsdale's starters are upperclassmen, a quartet of impressive sophomores is already making a big impact for the Chargers and showcasing a bright future for the program. Peighton Nelson, the 2022 G-MAC Freshman of the Year, is the team's starting point guard and is second on the team in assists, while Carly Callahan and Caitlin Splain are averaging a combined 20.6 points per game between them through 21 contests. The fourth sophomore of the group, Kendall McCormick, scored a career high in points against Madonna on Dec. 30 and is a part of the rotation. All four players will be crucial to Hillsdale's success moving forward.
- Both Splain and Callahan are on an impressive trajectory from beyond the arc – with 57 made 3-pointers through 21 games, Splain is tied for the eighth-most by a Charger in a single season, and has a shot of challenging the single-season record of 89 set by Brittany Gray in 2018-19, Callahan's 41 has her not far behind her teammate and likely to crack the top 10. Splain is on pace to make a run at another record -- the sophomore has 105 made 3-pointers so far in 47 games for the Chargers, giving her a shot at challenging the career program record of 237 held by Chelsea Harrison if she stays healthy during her time at Hillsdale and continues to produce.
- The Chargers currently lead the G-MAC in blocked shots per game with 3.42, an impressive showing for a program with only one player over six feet that regularly plays. Rim protection is a team effort for the Chargers, who have no player averaging over 0.7 blocks per game but 10 different players who have contributed at least one block this year.