Nine games into the Great Midwest Athletic Conference season in men's basketball, and the only thing that's clear is that the title race remains completely up for grabs.
Seven teams in G-MAC play are within a game of the conference lead -- and only six teams can make the G-MAC tournament this year.
The Hillsdale College men's basketball team is one of those seven in the mix, and have a real path to winning their third-straight regular season title -- but also have a long, arduous road ahead with several tough contests against the other contenders to get in position.
The road continues this weekend with two important home games against two teams currently on the outside looking in of the title race -- but both still extremely dangerous teams with talented players.
You can buy tickets to watch either of the two games at the links below, or follow the action at home with our webcasts. If you are in Hillsdale, you can also listen to the game on the radio at 99.5 FM The Dale, or at 101.7 FM Radio Free Hillsdale.
Schedule
Trevecca Nazarene (4-11, 1-7 G-MAC) at RV Hillsdale (11-4, 6-3 G-MAC) | 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Kentucky Wesleyan (10-8, 5-5 G-MAC) at RV Hillsdale (11-4, 6-3 G-MAC) | 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Follow/Watch
Live Stats vs Trevecca | Video vs Trevecca | Tickets vs Trevecca | Live Stats vs KWC | Video vs KWC | Tickets vs KWC
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | KWC Roster | Trevecca Roster | 2021-22 Hillsdale Stats | 2021-22 KWC Stats | 2021-22 Trevecca Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #15 Patrick Cartier, So., F, Brookfield, WI/East (22.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.4 apg); #24 Austen Yarian, Sr., F, Cleveland, OH/St. Ignatius (9.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.9 apg); #3 Jack Gohlke, Jr., G, Pewaukee, WI/Pewaukee (7.4 ppg); #2 Kyle Goessler, Jr., F, Brunswick, OH/Brunswick (9.2 ppg, 2.8 apg); #5 Cole Nau, Jr., G, Brookfield, WI/Central (4.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.9 apg)
Trevecca Nazarene: #35 CJ Penha, Sr., F, Pickerington, OH/Harvest Prep/Taylor University (20.8 ppg, 10.7 rpg); #25 Josh Price, Jr., G, Charlotte, NC/Carmel Christian/Liberty University (14.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.3 apg); #0 Chris Rogers, Jr., G, Harrisonburg, VA/Blueridge (10.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.3 apg); #13 Jaylon Tharpe, Sr., F, Clarksville, TN/Clarksville NE/Austin Peay (4.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg); #23 Brendan Newton, Sr., C, Roanoke, VA/Faith Christian/Liberty University (6.8 ppg, 7 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
Kentucky Wesleyan: #30 Ben Sisson, Jr., F, Fort Thomas, KY/Highlands (12.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1 spg); #21 JoMel Boyd, Jr., F, Anderson, IN/Anderson/Montana St. Northern (11.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg); #5 Jordan Roland, Jr., G/Flint, MI/Beecher/Notre Dame (OH) (14.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 spg); #2 Wyatt Battaile, Sr., G, Pikeville, KY/Pikeville/Louisville (12.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.3 apg); #0 Antonio Thomas, Jr., G, Memphis, TN/East/Bradley (6.5 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.7 apg)
Scouting the Opposition
Trevecca: The eighth seed in last season's G-MAC Tournament, the Trojans have been significantly retooled from last year's squad with the addition of two impact transfers who are averaging a combined 35.5 points per game so far.
Senior CJ Penha, a transfer from NAIA Taylor, and junior Josh Price, the son of former NBA player Mark Price and a transfer from Division I Liberty, have been electric for Trevecca and are among the league's leading scorers
The Trojans do have some key returnees as well – guards Chris Rogers and Jaylon Tharpe give Trevecca experience and additional scoring punch, while 7-foot-2 center Brendan Newton continues to be impactful on the defensive end.
Despite two high-scoring stars, finding consistent scoring across the lineup has been a challenge for the Trojans, who are dead last in the G-MAC at 63.6 points per game, thanks in part to a G-MAC worst 13.8 turnovers per game. A bigger problem has been Trevecca's defense, which concedes 74.1 points per game – a number that will have to improve if the Trojans hope to escape from the G-MAC cellar with a strong second half performance.
The Trojans are coached by Omar Mance, who is entering his fourth season with the program. He's compiled a 17-66 record in his time at Trevecca entering this season, and a 17-48 record in G-MAC play.
Kentucky Wesleyan: At 5-5, the Panthers are on the outside looking in of the G-MAC tourney race right now, but have a talent level that make them far more dangerous than their record to date shows.
KWC has gotten huge contributions from three impact transfers so far, all who start: JoMel Boyd of Montana St. Northern, Jordan Roland from Notre Dame (OH), and Antonio Thomas, a Division I bounce-back from Bradley. Roland in particular has been key as the team's leading scorer to date, while Boyd has been the team's top rebounder.
Those transfers have melded nicely with a solid returning core. Junior Ben Sisson has emerged as one of the top forwards in the G-MAC this season, leading Kentucky Wesleyan in scoring so far. Battle-tested senior Wyatt Battaile, who earned second-team All-G-MAC honors last season, is also off to a strong start.
While the Panthers aren't traditionally deep, with just two players off the bench seeing double-digit minutes a game, both players are high-quality and very experienced in seniors Jamil Wilson and Nathan Boyle, both of whom played a significant role on last year's team.
Wesleyan has the G-MAC's sixth-best offense (75.4 ppg) and fourth-best defense (67.7), with marks that put them among the contenders statistically. The Panthers, however, have struggled to finish games, with four overtime losses this season and two additional losses by single digits in conference play.
The Panthers are coached by Drew Cooper, who's in his fourth season, with a 31-31 mark in G-MAC play, including back-to-back G-MAC tournament berths.
Scouting the Chargers
After a heartbreaking one-point loss to Ashland last Thursday, the Hillsdale offense caught fire in a 96-69 win on Saturday at Tiffin. Although 6-3 in G-MAC play, the Chargers remain just one game out of first place in a tight title race and are hoping for a big second half to the season.
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.
Three top subs from 2020-21, juniors Cole Nau, Kyle Goessler and Jack Gohlke, 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 sophomore Noah Applegate and freshman Joe Reuter, among others, have taken on expanded roles off the bench.
The Chargers have been dominant defensively so far, giving up a G-MAC low 64.1 points per game that is 21st in the nation in Division II. Continuing to play tough defense and improving offensively will be key to Hillsdale's hopes of a big run in 2022.
Directing the Chargers for the 15th straight season is head coach John Tharp, who is the all-time winningest coach in program history with a 262-140 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 are a perfect 10-0 all-time against Trevecca Nazarene, with two one possession games but also eight victories by double-digits, including a 73-48 win on Dec. 4 this season. In contrast, Hillsdale's series with Kentucky Wesleyan is hotly contested, with each team winning six games apiece. The Chargers are riding a three-game win streak, including a 72-64 overtime win on Dec. 2 this season.
- 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 6-3 in G-MAC play, a game back of G-MAC co-leaders Walsh and tied with Malone.
- The 2020-21 G-MAC Male Athlete of the Year, Patrick Cartier, continues to excel on the court in his junior season. Cartier was recently named to the Bevo Francis Award Watch List, has scored 17 or more points in 13 of Hillsdale's 16 games so far, and is currently first in the G-MAC and 14th in the nation at the DII level in points per game with 22.5. His 62.7 field goal percentage is 19th in DII, and he is Hillsdale's career leader in the stat by three full percentage points. On Saturday, Nov. 13, the junior also became the 39th 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.
- In the first start of his career against Tiffin on Saturday, Jan. 15, junior Jack Gohlke had a night to remember, going 7 of 12 from 3-point range for a career high 25 points in Hillsdale's 96-69 win. Gohlke's seven 3s were the most by a Charger in a single game since Stedman Lowry hit seven 3-pointers in an 82-72 road win over Cedarville on Jan. 20, 2018. Gohlke is now shooting 44.2% from beyond the arc for the season.
- Senior Austen Yarian joined Cartier on the list of Charger players to surpass 1,000 points for his career, becoming the 40th with 11 points against Northwood on Dec. 20. The 2020-21 first-team All-G-MAC player now has 1,023 for his career, and, with 667 rebounds, is also closing in on breaking into the top 10 all-time at Hillsdale in that stat as well.
- 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 21st in the nation in DII at 64.1 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 (1.71) and in assists per game (17.53).
- The Chargers' 25 assists in Saturday's 96-69 win over Tiffin were the most by a Hillsdale team in a single game this season, and the most in a game since Hillsdale put up 28 in a 107-66 win over Ohio Valley on Feb. 20, 2021 last season.
- 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.