2022 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket
For just the seventh time in program history, the Hillsdale College men's basketball team is dancing.
The Chargers earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament, the NCAA announced on Sunday night, receiving the third seed in the Midwest Regional and a rematch with a familiar foe.
Hillsdale will play sixth-seeded Cedarville on Friday, March 11 in a regional quarterfinal contest, time TBA. The Chargers and Yellow Jackets, both Great Midwest Athletic Conference members, are familiar foes, having already met in three previous contests this season.
There's no doubt the two teams' most recent meeting, this past Friday in the G-MAC semifinal, looms large over this matchup. Cedarville pulled a 68-66 upset on a last-second layup after the Yellow Jackets stole an inbounds pass with six seconds to play. For the Chargers, it's a chance at redemption and payback that Hillsdale thought it wouldn't get until next season, on top of the already high stakes of a win-or-go-home tournament game.
The Chargers and Yellow Jackets are two of four teams from the G-MAC to make the NCAA Tournament, the most of any conference in the Midwest Region. G-MAC champion Walsh is the top seed and tournament host, meaning all seven Midwest Regional tournament games will take place in Alumni Hall in North Canton, OH. The Cavaliers face eighth-seeded Davenport in their opening game. Findlay is representing the G-MAC as well as the seven seed, taking on second-seeded Ferris St. in its opener. The final quarterfinal matchup is between GLVC rivals Truman State, the fourth seed, and Missouri St. Louis, the fifth seed.
As mentioned above, this is the seventh NCAA Tournament appearance for the Charger men's basketball program since becoming a NCAA DII member in 1990, and the second-straight time the Chargers have made it after earning the top seed in the Atlantic Region in 2020-21 and advancing to the Sweet 16. The Chargers are returning three starters and 12 of 15 letterwinners from last season's squad, including two-time G-MAC Player of the Year Patrick Cartier, and three-time All-G-MAC player Austen Yarian.
It's just the second time in program history that the Chargers have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons. Hillsdale also made back-to-back appearances in 2000-01 and 2001-02, reaching the Round of 32 in 2000-01.
Look for a full preview of the regional tournament and Hillsdale's quarterfinal matchup, with game times, streaming, live stats and ticket links later this week on hillsdalechargers.com.