Schedule
G-MAC Quarterfinal -- #7 Hillsdale (17-13, 10-10 G-MAC) at #2 Kentucky Wesleyan (22-5, 18-2 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Tuesday, Feb. 28 | Owensboro Sportscenter | Owensboro, Kentucky
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | KWC Roster | Hillsdale Stats | KWC Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #4 Peighton Nelson, So., G, Cottage Grove, WI/Monona Grove (5 ppg, 2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 spg); #5 Sydney Mills, Sr., F, DeWitt, MI/DeWitt (11 ppg, 10 rpg); #10 Carly Callahan, So., G/F, Columbus, OH/Hilliard Bradley (8.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg);#22 Grace Touchette, Sr., G, Northfield, MN/Northfield (14.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.9 apg); #32 Arianna Sysum, Sr., F, Eaton Rapids, MI/Eaton Rapids (6.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
KWC: #10 Corina Conley, Jr., G/F, Englewood, OH/Franklin Monroe (7.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.5 spg); #12 Jordyn Barga, Sr., F, Farmland, IN/Monroe Central (8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.5 spg); #14 Shaylee McDonald, G, Jr., Washington Courthouse, OH/Miami Trace (9.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.2 spg); #20 Shiya Hoosier, Jr., G, Hendersonville, TN/Beech Senior (9.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.2 spg); #22 Cali Nolot, Sr., G, New Salisbury, IN/North Harrison (10.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.1 spg)
Scouting the Opposition
Kentucky Wesleyan: One of the G-MAC's most consistent programs with foive consecutive top three finishes in the conference, including this year, the Panthers once again have a strong team that earned the second seed in the G-MAC Tournament and look like a lock to reach the NCAA Tournament.
At 18-2 in conference, with their losses coming to consensus DII No. 1 Ashland and on the road at Trevecca Nazarene, the No. 3 seed, the Panthers have a strong, defensively sound squad with several veteran contributors to build around, including multi-year returning starters Cali Nalot and Jordyn Barga, as well as one of the G-MAC's top reserve players for multiple seasons in super-scorer Tahlia Walton.
In contrast to past years, the Panthers haven't gone as deep on the bench, with a rotation of eight most nights, and haven't been as offensively explosive, but their ferocious pressure defense that leads the G-MAC in steals is as tough as it's ever been and giving opponents all sorts of problems.
Guards Shiya Hoosier and Shaylee McDonald have done well in more expanded offensive roles this season, and their continued development has been a big part of Kentucky Wesleyan's success story in 2022-23.
Kentucky Wesleyan is coached by the husband and wife team of Nicole and Caleb Nieman, now in their 13th season with the Panthers. The duo has become the all-time winningest coaches in KWC women's basketball history, have never missed the postseason during their tenure, and have won three conference titles.
Scouting Hillsdale
Hillsdale returns to the G-MAC Tournament for the first time since 2018-19, and with their 17-13 record matching that squad's final mark that season as well. The Chargers will look to extend their season another game on Tuesday night.
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, 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
- Hillsdale hasn't played in the G-MAC Tournament since the 2018-19 season, but are 2-0 all time in G-MAC Quarterfinals, beating Ursuline 81-69 in 2017-18 on their way to the G-MAC Tourney title, and beating Findlay 75-74 in overtime in 2018-19.
- Kentucky Wesleyan holds a 9-2 lead all-time over the Chargers in the series between the two teams, and have won nine straight after Hillsdale took the first two meetings between the two programs in 2017-18, including a 70-57 victory over the Chargers on Jan. 19 earlier this season.
- Senior Grace Touchette added a special accomplishment in a star-studded career at Hillsdale on Jan. 21, becoming just the sixth Charger women's basketball player to surpass 1,500 points for her career against Trevecca Nazarene. At 1,633 for her career entering this weekend, Touchette has passed Charger legend Chelsea Harrison for fifth all-time in career scoring at Hillsdale. Touchette is also fifth all-time at Hillsdale in career assists with 369, third in career 3-pointers made with 221, and fifth in career field goals made with 579.
- 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 971 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, and a two-time G-MAC Player of the Week in 2022-23, Mills has averaged a double-double for each of the past three seasons and has 10 double-doubles so far in 2022-23. She's also tied for seventh all-time in career blocked shots at Hillsdale with 64, and 10th all-time in 3-pointers made with 152.
- While many of Hillsdale's starters are upperclassmen, a quintet 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 18.1 points per game between them through 30 contests. The fourth sophomore of the group, Kendall McCormick, scored a career high in points against Madonna on Dec. 30 and contributed 13 to lead all Chargers on the road at Ashland on Feb. 18. All four players will be crucial to Hillsdale's success moving forward. Air Force transfer Lauren McDonald has joined the group this season and is adding scoring punch of her own, with 7.4 points per game in 16.4 minutes of action, as well as a 22-point outing on 6 of 7 3-point shooting in Hillsdale's most recent 89-73 win over Findlay.
- Splain is on an impressive trajectory from beyond the arc – with 72 made 3-pointers through 30 games, Splain is tied for the third-most 3-pointers by a Charger in a single season. Splain is on pace to make a run at another record -- the sophomore has 120 made 3-pointers so far in 56 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.
- Speaking of excellent 3-point shooting, the Chargers had one of the best days from beyond the arc in program history against the Oilers on Feb. 25. Hillsdale hit 17 of 26 attempted 3-pointers, good for 65.4% from beyond the arc. 17 3s is the most in a single game since the Chargers set the program record with 20 against Trevecca Nazarene in 2019, and that 65.4 percent is the best 3-point shooting percentage by the Chargers since going 11 for 15 (73.3%) against Tiffin in 2011.
- The Chargers have made a dramatic turnaround in taking care of the basketball under head coach Charlie Averkamp. In his third season, Hillsdale is posting the third-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the G-MAC (1.01).
- The Chargers are currently second in the G-MAC in blocked shots per game with 3.11, 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 11 different players who have contributed at least one block this year.
Photo by McKenna Eichholz