Preview: Chargers face big home weekend with contests against fellow G-MAC contenders

Jan 03, 2024

Schedule

Thomas More (9-4, 4-1 G-MAC) at #19 Hillsdale (8-3, 3-1 G-MAC) | 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI

Tiffin (7-3, 1-1 G-MAC) at #19 Hillsdale (8-3, 3-1 G-MAC) | 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI

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Projected Starters

Hillsdale: #2 Ashton Janowski, So, G, Pewaukee, WI/Pewaukee (10.1 ppg); #4 Charles Woodhams, Jr., G, Otsego, MI/Otsego (15.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.7 apg); #22 Sam Vasiu, Sr., G, Grand Rapids, MI/NorthPointe Christian (7.1 ppg, 1.8 spg); #31 CJ Yarian, So., F, Cleveland, OH/St. Ignatius (5.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg); #33 Joe Reuter, Jr., F, Chippewa Falls, WI/Chippewa Falls (16.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg)

Thomas More: #3 Reid Jolly, Sr., G/F, Alexandria, KY/Campbell County (15.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg); #12 Wyatt Vieth, Jr., G, Hebron, KY/Saint Henry (8.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg); #14 Jacob Jones, Jr., G, Jeffersonville, IN/Jeffersonville/Green Bay (10.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1 spg); #20 Casey George, Jr., G, Pickerington, OH/North (6.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1 spg); #24 Kyle Ross, Jr., G/F, St. John, IN/Lake Central/Milwaukee (8.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

Tiffin: #0 Joshua Rivers, Sr., F, Alton, IL/Parkland College (11.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1 spg); #2 Morgan Taylor, Sr., G, Chicago, IL/Triton College, (14.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1 spg); #5 Brandon Swaby, Sr., G, Fort Lauderdale, FL/Incarnate Word (8.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.6 spg); #11 Carius Key, Sr., G, Irving, TX/Texas A&M Commerce (11.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.2 apg); #33 Wesley Jordan, Sr., F, Indianapolis, IN/Lawrence Central (15 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.1 spg)

Scouting the Opposition

Thomas More: A newcomer to NCAA DII from the NAIA ranks, Thomas More has made an immediate impact in its new classification, sitting near the top of the G-MAC standings early in the season.

The Saints entered the NCAA DII ranks this season with an experienced roster, including returning NAIA All-American Reid Jolly, the Mid-South Conference player of the year, as well as returning All-Conference players Jacob Jones, a DI transfer from Wisconsin-Green Bay, and Casey George, along with multi-year starter Wyatt Vieth. Another NCAA DI transfer from Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Kyle Ross, has stepped into a bigger role for the team in 2023-24 after playing as a reserve last year.

The Saints are off to a 4-1 start in conference play thanks to an elite defense that's holding opponents to just 62.2 points per game, the best mark in the G-MAC so far. Thomas More also has the league's top assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.58, and keep opponents off the glass with the G-MAC's top rate of rebounds conceded.

The Saints have a successful head coach overseeing the transition this year in Justin Ray, now in his sixth season with Thomas More. The former Christian Brothers star entered this season with a .739 career winning percentage and has led the Saints to three consecutive NAIA tournament appearances in the last three seasons, including a final four trip in 2021-22.

Tiffin: There were high expectations for Tiffin entering the 2023-24 season, returning four starters after a fourth-place finish in 2022-23, and so far the Dragons have lived up to the hype, looking like a legitimate contender in a deep G-MAC.

The Dragons have always been an explosive offensive team under head coach Tom Church, and this year's group is no different, with four double-figure average scorers led by fourth-year starting center Wesley Jordan and decorated veteran guard Morgan Taylor. Joshua Rivers is also a returning All-Conference player for Tiffin, which added to its veteran core with impact DI transfers in Brandon Swaby and KJ Pruitt.

With their up-tempo style, the Dragons lead the G-MAC in turnover margin and are among the top three in steals. Improved defense has made a big difference for Tiffin, which has improved its win total in each of the last two seasons and looks on track to do so again for a third straight year. Veteran leadership helps -- all five starters for the Dragons are seniors, as are two of the team's top players off the bench, Ian Lopez and Rhaven Brown.

Church is in his sixth season coaching the Dragons and led Tiffin to a big breakthrough last season. He also was the head coach at IU-Kokomo and St. Joseph College before taking over the Dragons in 2018.

Scouting the Chargers

It's a new era for the Hillsdale College men's basketball team, as new head coach Keven Bradley begins the 2023-24 era with four new starters on the court after the Chargers graduated six seniors from the 2022-23 squad. Early returns are good so far, as Hillsdale is off to a 8-3 start that includes quality in-region wins and a 3-1 start in G-MAC play, as well as a spot in the national rankings.

While this season does mark a new beginning for Hillsdale, there's plenty of continuity with the program's recent successes and the foundation built over the past two decades. Before taking the head job this past spring, Bradley spent three seasons as Hillsdale's associate head coach, helping guide the program to a 2020-21 G-MAC title, three 20-plus win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16 appearances, and a 2022 NCAA DII Midwest Regional title and Elite Eight appearance. His background makes him very familiar with the Chargers program and how to keep things rolling.

And while Hillsdale bid farewell to four starters this offseason, several important players return for Bradley in the 2023-24 season, led by the lone starting holdover, junior Joe Reuter, who earned second-team All-G-MAC honors while averaging 12.5 points and six rebounds per game for a 23-win Chargers squad in 2022-23. While Reuter has had a role to play for the Chargers since his first day on campus, this season will be a big chance for the junior to take on a key leadership role with the squad as an upperclassman.

Along with Reuter, Hillsdale also brings back a trio of important substitutes from 2022-23 who look poised to compete for starting roles. Guards Charles Woodhams, a redshirt junior, and Ashton Janowski, a true sophomore, were big in moments off the bench for Hillsdale last season and should see their roles increase in 2023-24, while fellow guards Sam Vasiu and Cole McWhinnie should take on bigger roles as well.

In the paint, Radisevic could step in as the Chargers' post presence after serving as the first big man off the bench in last year's rotation. Redshirt sophomore Walt Mattingly should also see a bigger role, as will redshirt freshmen C.J. Yarian and Garrett Bolte, who will both see their first collegiate action this season.

Hillsdale should also get some quality minutes from a five-player freshman class. Guards Logan Beaston and Mikey McCollum were both proficient scorers at the high school level and could bring some offensive punch, while Caleb Glaser and Connor Stonebraker will get a chance to break into the lineup in the post as well.

A young Chargers squad is looking to keep alive a string of six consecutive seasons with 19 or more wins, a stretch that includes four NCAA Tournament appearances and two G-MAC titles despite tough competition from a league that is rising rapidly in talent and accolades.

Matchup History

This is Hillsdale's first-ever contest against Thomas More, who is new to the NCAA DII ranks this season. The G-MAC's newest member spent five seasons as a member of the NAIA, making three NAIA Tournament appearances and reaching the NAIA Final Four in 2021-22. Prior to that, the Saints were an NCAA Division III school, with three NCAA Tournament appearances in a decade spanning from 2008 to 2018.
Hillsdale has dominated the series with Tiffin that began in the 1977-78 season, with a 33-4 overall record and 14 victories over the Dragons, including a sweep of both meetings in 2022-23. Tiffin's last victory in the series was a 75-70 win on Feb. 6, 2014.

Other Notes

The Chargers were picked to finish sixth in the G-MAC Preseason Poll released in late October. Defending G-MAC Tournament Champion Ashland was picked to win the league, and 2022-23 regular season champion Walsh was picked to finish second. Since joining the league in 2017-18, Hillsdale has never finished worse than third in the final G-MAC standings.
Hillsdale was ranked 19th in the nation in the D2CSC poll released on Dec. 18, and is also ranked second in the unofficial D2CSC Midwest Regional poll behind Ferris State. Hillsdale has been ranked in at least one poll during the season for each of the last four seasons.
Hillsdale is looking to continue an impressive run of recent success over the last six seasons that includes two G-MAC Championships, four 20-plus win campaigns, four NCAA DII Tournament berths, two Sweet 16 appearances, and a Midwest Regional title and Elite Eight appearance in 2021-22. The Chargers have had 21 or more wins in each of the last three seasons, and made an unprecedented three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
While Hillsdale graduated four starters and three All-G-MAC players from last season's 23 win team, the Chargers do have significant returning talent, led by junior Joe Reuter. The G-MAC Freshman of the Year in 2021-22 and a second team All-G-MAC honoree in 2022-23, Reuter averaged 12.5 points and six rebounds per game last year as a key player for Hillsdale, and is off to an impressive start, averaging over 16 points and five rebounds in 11 games this season. With a young squad in 2023-24, the Chargers will lean heavily on his experience and leadership.
Junior Charles Woodhams made an impact off the bench for the Chargers last season, with six double digit scoring games and a season-high of 18 points against Cedarville on Dec. 1. Now in the starting lineup for the Chargers, he's starting to put up those big numbers on a nightly basis. The Otsego, Michigan native is averaging 15.5 points per game and scored a career high 26 points in a tight victory over Lake Erie to open conference play on Nov. 30. His 56.3% field goal percentage is stellar for a guard and ranks fourth among all G-MAC players, behind three centers.
Redshirt freshman CJ Yarian put together a special performance in his debut for the Chargers, recording 15 rebounds and eight assists in Hillsdale's 71-65 victory over Wayne State on Friday, Nov. 10. It's the most combined rebounds and assists in a single game by a Charger since Matt Mlynarchek put up 16 rebounds and seven assists against Mercyhurst on Jan. 20, 2003, over 20 years ago. The younger brother of three-time All-G-MAC player Austen Yarian, CJ figures to be an important part of the rotation for the Chargers in 2023-24.
Senior Samuel Vasiu is seeing the first consistent minutes of his career for the Chargers in 2023-24, and he's made a huge impact for Hillsdale at the defensive end. Through 11 games, he's sixth among all G-MAC players with an impressive 1.8 steals per game.
A consistent theme in the Chargers' success over the last six seasons has been excellent 3-point defense. Through eight games, Hillsdale once again ranks among the leaders in opponent 3-point percentage in both the G-MAC and nationally, with the Chargers' mark of 28.6% leading the G-MAC and ranking 16^th in the nation among all NCAA DII teams. That's helped Hillsdale hold opponents to 64.2 points per game, third in the G-MAC and 16^th in the nation as well.