The Hillsdale College men's basketball team kicked off the 2021-22 season with an exhibition contest against Division I and defending MAC champion Toledo on Saturday, falling 93-68 in a game that was closer than the score indicates.
The Chargers were within a basket or two of the host Rockets for most of the first half before a late run gave Toledo a 43-32 edge at the break, and Hillsdale was within nine points at 75-66 with 5:24 to play.
Toledo seized control in the final five minutes, closing the game on an 18-2 run to finish off any hopes of a Charger upset of a Division I foe. Toledo's physicality and athleticism proved to be a major factor in the contest, as the Rockets outrebounded Hillsdale 37-28 and shot 21 free throws to Hillsdale's six. The Rockets also took better care of the ball, with nine turnovers to Hillsdale's 18. Twelve of those 18 Charger turnovers were stolen by Toledo, who scored 21 points off of turnovers in the contest.
Hillsdale's two first-team All-G-MAC big men, junior Patrick Cartier and senior Austen Yarian, had strong games for the Chargers against tough competition to lead the way. Cartier finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists and shot 81.8 percent from the floor to pick up where he left off last season, while Yarian hit four 3-pointers, shot 77.9 percent from the floor and finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists as well.
In his first start, junior guard Kyle Goessler also had a solid game, scoring 11 points and going 3 for 5 from 3-point range, and junior Jack Gohlke chipped in eight points off the bench as well. Junior Cole Nau finished with six points and two assists for the Chargers, and redshirt freshman Charles Woodhams chipped in four assists and two rebounds off the bench.
Hillsdale opens the 2021-22 season officially on Nov. 12, with a 7 p.m. tip-off at Saginaw Valley St. University
Photo by Anthony Lupi '22