Things can change quickly in the world of college basketball.
At this time last week, the Hillsdale College women's basketball team were an 0-2 squad coming off a 4-17 season in 2020-21. But after a strong Alaska trip that included a near upset of a consensus top-10 team in Alaska Anchorage and a convincing win over an unbeaten Alaska Fairbanks squad, the Chargers now have some momentum and look like a team on the rise.
Sustaining that momentum, however, will be key, and Hillsdale will have to perform once again as they take on an experienced Lake Superior St. squad on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in a a final tune-up before the start of Great Midwest Athletic Conference play.
Hillsdale College also is celebrating its annual Family Day on Sunday. All children under 18 will receive free admission to Sunday's contest. In addition, the Chargers are also collecting toys for the Toys for Tots program. Anyone who brings a toy to Sunday's game will receive one free ticket for each donated toy. Toys must be new and unwrapped.
Schedule
Lake Superior St. (1-2, 0-0 GLIAC) at Hillsdale (1-3, 0-0 G-MAC) | 2 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 28 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Follow/Watch
Live Stats vs LSSU | Webcast vs LSSU | Tickets vs LSSU
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | LSSU Roster | 2021-22 Hillsdale Stats | 2021-22 LSSU Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #2 Dani Salenbien, So., G, Adrian, MI/Lenawee Christian (6 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.3 apg); #22 Grace Touchette, Sr., G, Northfield, MN/Northfield (16.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.8 apg); #5 Sydney Mills, Jr., F, DeWitt, MI/DeWitt (8.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 3.5 apg); #32 Arianna Sysum, Jr., F, Eaton Rapids, MI/Eaton Rapids (12 ppg, 4.5 rpg); #4 Peighton Nelson, Fr., G, Cottage Grove, WI/Monona Grove (4.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.8 spg)
LSSU: #2 Makenzie Bray, Sr., F, Springfield, IL/Glenwood (12.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.3 spg); #4 Margot Woughter, Jr., G, Traverse City, MI/Central/Indiana Wesleyan (10.7 ppg, 2.3 apg); #5 Ella Bontrager, Sr., G, Jackson, MI/Northwest (4.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg); #12 CeCe Hacker, Fr., G, Omaha, NE/Marian (7.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg); #23 Mattison Rayman, Jr., F, Otsego, MI/Otsego (11.7 ppg, 10.0 rpg).
Scouting the Opposition
Lake Superior St.: The Lakers equaled their win total from all of last season with a 68-64 upset of Ohio Dominican on Nov. 13, and are looking to continue to climb out of the GLIAC basement after going 1-18 in 2020-21.
Lake Superior St. is led by three experienced players who are all double-digit scorers – junior forward Mattison Rayman, who's averaging a double-double in three contests, senior forward Makenzie Bray, the team's leading scorer, and junior guard Margot Woughter, an Indiana Wesleyan transfer who is the team's assists leader.
While the Lakers did get a confidence-boosting win early in the season, LSSU has struggled overall offensively, averaging just 55.7 points per game, and have conceded 88 points in each of their two losses.
Turnovers have been a particular problem for the Lakers. At 18.3 a game, those miscues have made it hard for LSSU to get in a rhythm offensively while gifting opponents easy transition opportunities as well.
The Lakers are coached by Brandon Lokken, now in his fifth season as head coach at LSSU. He was a long-time assistant in the men's program for the Lakers, and part of two of the team's three NCAA tournament appearances on the men's side by head coach Steve Hettinga.
Scouting Hillsdale
After a difficult, injury-plagued season in 2020-21, a mix of experienced returners and exciting incoming talent has the Hillsdale College women's basketball team aiming for a great leap forward in 2021-22.
The Chargers return four starters from last season's 4-17 team, led by junior forward Sydney Mills, who averaged 14.8 points and 10.4 rebounds and earned second-team All-G-MAC honors, and senior combo guard Grace Touchette, who chipped in 13.5 points as well.
Along with those two dependable leaders, Hillsdale also returns two breakout players from 2020-21, junior Arianna Sysum and sophomore Dani Salenbien, who both performed well above expectations last season and should continue to improve this year with more experience under their belts.
The Chargers also have one of the best reserve players in the conference in senior Lauren Daffenberg, who shot 40.8 percent from 3-point range and averaged 11.4 points off the bench for the Chargers, and reserve forward Maverick Delp, who logged critical minutes in the paint last season.
Added to that nucleus is a six-player incoming class of four freshmen and two transfers who should contribute right away and add critical depth the Chargers lacked throughout 2020-21 as a wave of injuries took their toll.
In particular, freshmen Peighton Nelson, Caitlin Splain and Carly Callahan all have played major roles early on, Nelson as the starting point guard and Splain and Callahan as key reserves off the bench.
Hillsdale is coached by Charlie Averkamp, who returns for his second season with the Chargers this year, along with two new assistants, Brianna Brennan and Brooke Bailey.
Other Notes
- The Chargers were picked to finish 11th in the G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour, in line with their 11th place finish in 2020-21. Hillsdale was picked to finish ahead of Lake Erie in 12th place, with two teams tied for ninth just ahead of the Chargers – Trevecca Nazarene and Ursuline. Walsh was picked as the favorite to win the league, with conference newcomer Ashland close behind in second place.
- Hillsdale is 22-34 all time against Lake Superior St. in a series that began in the 1982-83 season and ran for a long time as both teams were members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Although LSSU has the series lead, the Chargers have dominated recently, taking nine of the last 10 meetings, most recently an 80-51 win on Nov. 16, 2019.
- The Chargers had two players earn All-Tournament team honors at the Seawolf Hoops Classic in Anchorage, Alaska this past weekend – senior Grace Touchette and junior Arianna Sysum. The two have been Hillsdale's most consistent offensive threats four games into the season – Touchette is averaging 16.8 points per game, tied for 11th in the G-MAC so far, and Sysum is averaging 12 points per game.
- Three freshmen are seeing early playing time for the Chargers. Peighton Nelson is starting at point guard for Hillsdale and making an impact on both ends of the floor, with four steals and two games so far. Carly Callahan and Caitlin Splain are also getting early minutes off the bench, and Splain had a big night in just her second game with the Chargers in a 79-70 loss to Northwood on Saturday, shooting 54% from 3-point range and knocking down seven to lead all scorers.
- Junior Sydney Mills had a breakout season as a sophomore, averaging a double-double with 14.8 points and a G-MAC leading 10.4 rebounds per game and earning second-team All-G-MAC honors. She's continuing that strong performance on the glass as a junior, averaging 10.8 rebounds in four games, good for second in the G-MAC so far. She had a single-game season best 17 rebounds against Northwood on Saturday, Nov. 13.
- Senior Lauren Daffenberg enters the season already entrenched high on the Chargers' all-time 3-pointers made list. Daffenberg is 5th in Hillsdale history in career made 3-pointers with 175, eight behind Jenn Carlson (2003-07) and her 183 made 3-pointers for fourth all-time. The record-holder for the Chargers is Chelsea Harrison, with 237 made 3-pointers in her career. Daffenberg may not be the only active player on the list for long – senior Grace Touchette has 126 3-pointers, just nine behind Liz Cibor's 135, and could break into the top 10 soon.
