Preview: Rivalry week for #13 Hillsdale as Chargers battle two very familiar foes

Dec 14, 2021

Christmas and the long break are coming soon for the 13th-ranked Hillsdale College men's basketball team.

But before the Chargers get to unwrap presents on Dec. 25, they've got two battles against teams who have a long history with Hillsdale to take care of.

Hillsdale has two huge games over the long weekend, including a critical conference clash against arch-rival Findlay on Saturday, and against a former GLIAC foe and soon-to-be G-MAC foe in Northwood on Monday.

Both games are also event days for the Charger basketball program. The Saturday contest against Findlay is also the program's Business and Industry Day, where Hillsdale College salutes area businesses that help make Hillsdale County the special place to live that it is.

Monday's contest against Northwood, meanwhile, is Community Day. The game will be taking place before the annual Pat Paterson Rotary Classic involving Hillsdale County high school girls and boys basketball teams, which will be kicking off immediately following the final whistle of the game between the Chargers and Timberwolves. Everyone who purchases a ticket for the Northwood game will receive a complimentary voucher for free admission to the Rotary Classic contests after the men's game ends.

Schedule

Findlay (5-5, 1-3 G-MAC) at #13/13 Hillsdale (8-1, 4-0 G-MAC) | 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI

Northwood (3-6, 1-3 GLIAC) at #13/13 Hillsdale (8-1, 4-0 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI

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Additional Info

Projected Starters

Hillsdale: #15 Patrick Cartier, So., F, Brookfield, WI/East (22.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.1 spg); #24 Austen Yarian, Sr., F, Cleveland, OH/St. Ignatius (11.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.8 apg); #1 Tavon Brown, Jr., F, Columbus, OH/St. Charles Prep (6.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.1 spg, 1.3 bpg); #2 Kyle Goessler, Jr., F, Brunswick, OH/Brunswick (9.6 ppg, 3.2 apg); #5 Cole Nau, Jr., G, Brookfield, WI/Central (3.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.3 apg)

Findlay: #2 Anthony Masterlasco, Sr., F, Findlay, OH/Liberty Benton (11.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.2 spg); #3 Tre'Maine Gray, Sr., G, Akron, OH/Firestone/Sinclair CC (11.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3 apg, 1.2 spg); #5 Nathan Bruns, Jr. F, Chickasaw, OH/Marion Local (13.9 ppg, 7 rpg, 2.8 apg); #14 Joey Edmonds, Jr., G, Cincinnati, OH/Wyoming (12.1 ppg, 2.8 apg, 1.1 spg); #24 Brady Wildermuth, Sr., F, Jackson Center, OH/Jackson Center (7.2 ppg)

Northwood: #11 Jack Ammerman, Sr., G, Ann Arbor, MI/Skyline (20.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg); #2 Quentin Richardson, So., G, Cleveland, OH/Holy Name (6.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg); #12 Kenneth Ganley Jr., So., F, Brecksville, OH/Brecksville-Broadview Heights (6.6 ppg, 3 rpg); #21 Matthew Nowicki, Jr., F, Clarkston, MI/Orchard Lake St. Mary's (0.9 ppg); #32 DeSean Munson, So. F, Ann Arbor, MI/Skyline (12.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg)

Scouting the Opposition

Findlay: The Oilers are a perennial G-MAC contender and got off to a solid start, including an upset victory over nationally-ranked Ferris St. But injuries have caught up with Findlay over the last two weeks and three straight losses now have the Oilers in desperation mode, needing to pick up big victories to avoid dropping out of the G-MAC title race before they can get fully healthy in 2022.

Findlay still has one of the best starting lineups in the conference, headlined by returning first-team All-G-MAC power forward Nathan Bruns. Anthony Masterlasco, Tre'Maine Gray and Joey Edmonds are all double-figure scorers with significant game experience.

Injuries to top sub Ethan Linder, among others, have eroded the Oilers' depth, however, forcing Findlay to shorten its rotation and lean harder than normal on its starters. That's led to some uncharacteristic struggles in recent weeks, including three losses in their first four G-MAC contests.

If the Oilers can get healthier, they're still a team very much capable of winning the G-MAC title, and even in those players' continued absence, their experienced starters make them a team to be reckoned with.

Findlay's head coach is Charlie Ernst, who's built an outstanding resume in 11 years at the helm. Ernst had a 226-70 record with the Oilers entering this season, and he's led Findlay to three G-MAC titles, four GLIAC South titles, three GLIAC Tournament titles, six NCAA Division II national tournament appearances, and two appearances in the NCAA Sweet 16.

Northwood: The Timberwolves, who've already played the Chargers once this season in an 83-61 loss in Midland, have had an up-and-down campaign so far in 2021-22.

Star guard Jack Ammerman has been as good as advertised, averaging 20.1 points per game, but injuries and other issues have made it hard for Northwood to build a consistent lineup around him.

Northwood has had some bright spots in a 3-6 start besides Ammerman. Sophomore DeSean Munson has come on strong in his second season, providing a consistent post presence, and sophomore Maurion Scott has been solid as both a starter and a substitute.

Offensively, Northwood has been good enough to get the job done, averaging 75.8 points per game. But the Timberwolves' defense has not been up to the same caliber so far, giving up a GLIAC-worst 83.9 points per game. That's something that will have to improve if Northwood is going to make a push up the standings in the new year.

Northwood is coached by Lonnie Griffin, who's entering his second season in charge of the Timberwolves after six seasons as an assistant in Midland.

Scouting the Chargers

Hillsdale picked up a huge last-second win on the road at Cedarville on Saturday to remain atop the G-MAC, and now looks to continue to build its advantage with a huge rivalry game on tap for Saturday.

The Chargers are looking to build off of one of the most successful seasons in school history in 2020-21, a campaign that saw Hillsdale repeat as G-MAC regular season champions, earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, and reach the Atlantic Regional Final round, with a 21-3 final record.

Three starters return for the Chargers, led by G-MAC Male Athlete of the Year and consensus All-American Patrick Cartier. A high-volume scorer whose efficient offense consistently draws double-teams in the paint, Cartier has the perfect running mate in fellow first team All-G-MAC forward Austen Yarian, whose versatility and outside shooting touch causes significant matchup issues of his own for opposing defenses.

Also back is junior forward Tavon Brown, whose defense, rebounding and energy were critical to the team's success last season, and who could have another breakout year as his offensive game continues to mature.

Two top subs from 2020-21, juniors Cole Nau and Kyle Goessler, have moved into the starting lineup to help fill the void left by the departures of second-team All-G-MAC honorees Connor Hill and Davis Larson, while fellow junior Jack Gohlke, sophomore Noah Applegate and redshirt freshman Charles Woodhams, among others, have taken on expanded roles.

The Chargers have been dominant defensively so far, giving up a G-MAC low 62 points per game that ranks in the top 20 in the nation. That mark has kept Hillsdale in pole position in the G-MAC and among the top teams in the Midwest Region so far.

Directing the Chargers for the 15^th straight season is head coach John Tharp, who is the all-time winningest coach in program history with a 257-137 record. Returning as assistants on Hillsdale's bench this year are associate head coach Keven Bradley, assistant coach Eric Weiss, and assistant coach David Choi.

Other Notes

The Chargers have a longer history with the Oilers than any other G-MAC program, thanks to their long tenures in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference prior to joining the G-MAC. It's a series Findlay has dominated historically, with a 54-12 edge, but Hillsdale has won 4 of the last 6, including a first-ever season sweep of the Oilers in 2020-21. Hillsdale also played Northwood for years in the GLIAC, and hold a 47-31 record all-time over the Timberwolves, including a win earlier this season. The two teams will be more frequent combatants in the future, as Northwood joins the G-MAC next fall.
Hillsdale was picked as the favorite to win the G-MAC crown for the third consecutive year in the conference's Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour, though by only a single vote over conference newcomer Ashland, which made the NCAA Tournament in its final year in the GLIAC last season. 2020-21 G-MAC runner-up Findlay was picked third and 2020-21 G-MAC Tournament champion Malone was picked in fourth. Currently, the Chargers are 4-0 in G-MAC play, with Malone and Walsh each a half-game behind at 3-0, and Ashland sitting at 2-1 a game and a half back.
The Chargers started the season ranked in both the NABC and D2SIDA polls for the first time in school history, and got as high as 7^th in the NABC Poll and tied for 3^rd in the D2SIDA poll. That tie for third place is the highest a Charger men's basketball team has ever been ranked in a national poll in program history. A loss to Ferris St. earlier in November dropped them a bit but they are still ranked 13^th in both the NABC and D2SIDA polls and have remained ranked all season.
The 2020-21 G-MAC Male Athlete of the Year, Patrick Cartier, continues to excel on the court in his junior season. Cartier has scored 17 or more points in eight of Hillsdale's nine games so far, and is currently first in the G-MAC and 12th in the nation at the DII level in points per game with 22.9. On Saturday, Nov. 13, the junior also became the 39^th player in Hillsdale College men's basketball history to surpass 1,000 points for his career with 30 points in an 83-61 win over Northwood.
At 986 points in his career, senior Austen Yarian is fast closing in on joining Cartier as the 40^th Charger to reach 1,000 points in his career. A first-team All-G-MAC player in 2020-21, Yarian had two big games for the Chargers this past weekend, scoring 14 in a 78-63 win over ODU on Thursday and adding 25 points, including the game-winner with 3.5 seconds to play, in a 58-57 road win over Cedarville on Saturday.
Hillsdale's team identity under John Tharp is well-known, and it starts with defense – the Chargers lead the G-MAC in scoring defense and are 16^th in the nation in DII at 62 points per game. Unselfishness and taking care of the ball are also core tenets of the Hillsdale style of play, and the Chargers also lead the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.07) and are second in assists per game behind Kentucky Wesleyan (17.44).
Junior guard Kyle Goessler had the best game of his career for the Chargers in an overtime win against Kentucky Wesleyan on Dec. 2, knocking down a career-best six 3-pointers and finishing with a career-high 22 points. For the season, he's leading the Chargers in 3-point attempts per game while shooting an impressive 50% from behind the arc. A sixth man last year, Goessler moved into the starting lineup this offseason and seems to be growing into the role quickly from week to week.
While it's a long road to get there, Hillsdale has the opportunity to chase unprecedented accomplishments in the program's history this year. The Chargers will be in contention for a third-straight G-MAC title, something that's never been done in the history of the program. The Chargers also will be looking for their seventh NCAA Division II tournament appearance in school history, and their first back-to-back appearance since the 2000-01 and 2001-02 teams made it in consecutive years.