Men's basketball team earns well-deserved victory
Chargers top Wayne State for second win of season
January 9, 2010 - Boy, did they need this one.
Forty-eight hours after the most frustrating of losses, the Hillsdale College men's basketball team responded with its first home win of the season, 71-60, over Wayne State University
Saturday afternoon at Jesse Philips Arena.
The Chargers are now 2-10 overall and 2-6 in GLIAC play. The team will travel to the great white north next week, playing road games vs. Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan on Jan. 14 and Jan. 16.
So far this season, the Chargers have endured several frustrating losses. Tough losses on the road to two nationally ranked teams. An overtime loss to Grand Valley State. And most recently, a buzzer-beating loss at Northwood Thursday night.
After missing 14 of its first 15 shots, it appeared Hillsdale might be headed to another defeat. But the team played a terrific defensive game, highlighted by hard work on the boards while rarely allowing Wayne State an uncontested shot.
During its 1-for-14 stretch, the Chargers' defense is what kept them in the game. Hillsdale didn't make its second field goal of the game until the 12:37 mark of the second half. However, after that shot - a 3-pointer by sophomore Kyle Jazwiecki - the team only found itself trailing by two points. Weathering a cold start like that proved to set a tone for the team that carried through all 40 minutes of the game.
The Warriors led by as many as seven points in the first half, but the Chargers threw the visitors into a cold spell as the second half opened. After trailing 29-25 at halftime, Hillsdale opened the second half on an 11-2 run, turning that four-point deficit into a five-point lead.
Key in that surge was a pair of shots by senior Luke Laser (pictured). WSU closed the gap to 37-35 after two buckets by Jerry Oden. Laser then swished jump shots on back-to-back possessions to help the Chargers shake loose of the Warriors and regain a comfortable lead.
Chargers guard Tyler Gerber also upped his level of play during crunch time. In the game's final 15 minutes, Gerber not only played superior on-the-ball defense against the Wayne State guards, but had 10 points, three steals, two assists and one rebound.
Seven players had five or more points for the Chargers, led by Gerber's 13. Laser had 12 points, while sophomore Brad Guinane added 10 points.
Hillsdale was 19-for-21 from the free throw line as a team, and in the first half, held a 10-5 edge on the offensive boards over the Warriors. Wayne State missed eight free throws in the game, and had 16 turnovers compared to Hillsdale's 10.
Hillsdale hasn't lost at home to Wayne State since 2002.
Click on the lionk below for the box score from Saturday's game.
Chargers 71, Wayne State 60
Forty-eight hours after the most frustrating of losses, the Hillsdale College men's basketball team responded with its first home win of the season, 71-60, over Wayne State University
Saturday afternoon at Jesse Philips Arena.The Chargers are now 2-10 overall and 2-6 in GLIAC play. The team will travel to the great white north next week, playing road games vs. Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan on Jan. 14 and Jan. 16.
So far this season, the Chargers have endured several frustrating losses. Tough losses on the road to two nationally ranked teams. An overtime loss to Grand Valley State. And most recently, a buzzer-beating loss at Northwood Thursday night.
After missing 14 of its first 15 shots, it appeared Hillsdale might be headed to another defeat. But the team played a terrific defensive game, highlighted by hard work on the boards while rarely allowing Wayne State an uncontested shot.
During its 1-for-14 stretch, the Chargers' defense is what kept them in the game. Hillsdale didn't make its second field goal of the game until the 12:37 mark of the second half. However, after that shot - a 3-pointer by sophomore Kyle Jazwiecki - the team only found itself trailing by two points. Weathering a cold start like that proved to set a tone for the team that carried through all 40 minutes of the game.
The Warriors led by as many as seven points in the first half, but the Chargers threw the visitors into a cold spell as the second half opened. After trailing 29-25 at halftime, Hillsdale opened the second half on an 11-2 run, turning that four-point deficit into a five-point lead.
Key in that surge was a pair of shots by senior Luke Laser (pictured). WSU closed the gap to 37-35 after two buckets by Jerry Oden. Laser then swished jump shots on back-to-back possessions to help the Chargers shake loose of the Warriors and regain a comfortable lead.
Chargers guard Tyler Gerber also upped his level of play during crunch time. In the game's final 15 minutes, Gerber not only played superior on-the-ball defense against the Wayne State guards, but had 10 points, three steals, two assists and one rebound.
Seven players had five or more points for the Chargers, led by Gerber's 13. Laser had 12 points, while sophomore Brad Guinane added 10 points.
Hillsdale was 19-for-21 from the free throw line as a team, and in the first half, held a 10-5 edge on the offensive boards over the Warriors. Wayne State missed eight free throws in the game, and had 16 turnovers compared to Hillsdale's 10.
Hillsdale hasn't lost at home to Wayne State since 2002.
Click on the lionk below for the box score from Saturday's game.
Chargers 71, Wayne State 60
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