Schedule
#5 Hillsdale (18-9, 13-7 G-MAC) at #4 Thomas More (17-11, 12-8 G-MAC) | 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5 | Connor Convocation Center | Crestview Hills, KY
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Thomas More Roster | 2023-24 Hillsdale Stats | 2023-24 Thomas More Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #2 Ashton Janowski, So, G, Pewaukee, WI/Pewaukee (10.1 ppg); #4 Charles Woodhams, Jr., G, Otsego, MI/Otsego (12.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.5 apg); #22 Sam Vasiu, Sr., G, Grand Rapids, MI/NorthPointe Christian (7.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.3 spg); #31 CJ Yarian, So., F, Cleveland, OH/St. Ignatius (4.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg); #33 Joe Reuter, Jr., F, Chippewa Falls, WI/Chippewa Falls (15.3 ppg, 7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.3 spg)
Thomas More: #3 Reid Jolly, Sr., G/F, Alexandria, KY/Campbell County (15.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.3 apg); #5 Mitchell Rylee, So., F, Fort Mitchell, KY/Covington Catholic/Miami U. (5.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg); #14 Jacob Jones, Jr., G, Jeffersonville, IN/Jeffersonville/Green Bay (9.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.3 apg); #20 Casey George, Jr., G, Pickerington, OH/North (9.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1 spg); #21 Nathan Dudukovich, Fr., G, West Chester, OH/Lakota West (12.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
Scouting the Opposition
Thomas More: A newcomer to NCAA DII from the NAIA ranks, Thomas More finished its first G-MAC season in fifth place in the final conference standings, and moved up to the four-seed in the G-MAC Tournament thanks to a strong showing in the conference's Point Ranking System, allowing them to host a quarterfinal on Tuesday.
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, while Miami (OH) transfer Mitchell Rylee and freshman Nathan Dudukovich also have made big contributions.
The Saints' success in 2023-24 is largely thanks to an elite defense that's holding opponents to just 65.6 points per game, third in the G-MAC behind Walsh and Hillsdale. Thomas More also has the league's third best assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.53, and keep opponents off the glass with the G-MAC's third-best 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.
Scouting the Chargers
Hillsdale College finished tied for third in the final G-MAC standings with a late surge, extending to seven seasons Hillsdale's streak of finishing third or better in the final G-MAC standings. While Hillsdale dropped to the fifth seed in the G-MAC Tourney thanks to the Point Ranking System, the Chargers are still capable of making a run in a wide-open tourney field.
This season marked a new beginning for Hillsdale with a new coach and four new starters, but there was still 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, head coach Keven 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 have stepped into meaningful 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 are now starters for the Chargers along with senior guard Samuel Vasiu, while Cole McWhinnie has taken on a bigger role as well.
In the paint, redshirt freshman C.J. Yarian and senior Eric Radisevic have tag-teamed the center spot for the Chargers this year since Radisevic's mid-season return from an injury. Redshirt freshman Garrett Bolte has also seen his first collegiate action this season for the Chargers as a reserve off the bench.
Hillsdale should also get some quality minutes from a five-player freshman class. Guard Mikey McCollum was a proficient scorer at the high school level and has showcased it at the next level so far, while Caleb Glaser has been a key post substitute off the bench.
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
- Thomas More and Hillsdale split two meetings this season, as Hillsdale played the NCAA DII and G-MAC newcomer for the first time. The Saints won 71-70 at Hillsdale on a last-second free throw on Jan. 4, but Hillsdale got revenge with a 73-65 victory at Thomas More on Jan. 13.
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. The Chargers ended up placing tied for third in the final standings to continue a streak of seven straight seasons in the top three, behind co-champions Kentucky Wesleyan and Walsh.
- 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.
- The 2024 G-MAC tournament field was decided by the Point Ranking System, which ranks G-MAC teams by strength of schedule as well as results on the floor. Despite finishing tied for third in the standings, Hillsdale dropped to fifth by .01 points behind Thomas More in the PRS, and will be going on the road as a result. You can see the full tournament field here.
- Hillsdale's lone graduating senior, Samuel Vasiu, was honored before the Saturday, Feb. 17 contest against Ashland. Vasiu is having the best season of his career for the Chargers in 2023-24, and in particular, he's made a huge impact for Hillsdale at the defensive end. Through 27 games, he's tied for 11th among all G-MAC players with an impressive 1.3 steals per game, along with teammate Joe Reuter.
- Junior Joe Reuter became the 41st player in Hillsdale College history to surpass 1,000 points for his career, and is now at 1,018 points entering the G-MAC Tournament. 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 having an excellent year this season, averaging over 15 points and seven rebounds in 27 games this season, and setting a career high with 30 points in an 89-71 win over Lake Erie on Saturday, Feb. 10.
- 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 12.8 points per game and scored a career high 26 points in a tight victory over Lake Erie to open conference play on Nov. 30.
- 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.
- The Chargers clamped down in a historic way on opponent Tiffin in a 73-35 road win on Thursday, Feb. 1. The 35 points given up by Hillsdale in that contest are the fewest conceded by a Charger squad since a 65-31 win over U of M Dearborn on Nov. 11, 2011, over a decade ago. Hillsdale's all-time record for fewest points conceded in a contest is 5 in a 12-5 pre-shot clock era win over Saginaw Valley State in 1981.
- A consistent theme in the Chargers' success over the last six seasons has been excellent 3-point defense. Through 27 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 29.2% ranking first in the G-MAC and fourth in the nation among all NCAA DII teams. That's helped Hillsdale hold opponents to 63.6 points per game, second in the G-MAC and ninth in the nation as well.