Hillsdale 89, Northern Michigan 41

January 26, 2011 – It was a surgical performance Thursday night by the Hillsdale College men’s basketball team.

The Chargers won their 13th straight home game in dominating fashion, defeating Northern Michigan University 89-41 Thursday night at Jesse Philips Arena. The 20th-ranked Chargers are now 16-2 overall and 10-1 in conference play. The team will battle North Division-leading Michigan Tech at 1 p.m. Saturday in what is expected to be a tough, competitive matchup.

The 48-point margin of victory was by far the largest for the Chargers this season. The team dominated every statistical category in proportion to the final score. Hillsdale shot 62 percent from the field, mad e10 3-pointers, and tied a school record by making all 15 of its free throws. The team’s execution on the offensive end of the court was superb, led by the guidance of senior point guard Tyler Gerber.

Five players scored in double figures for the Chargers, four of them starters. Junior center Nick Washburn was an imposing presence in the paint, making all six of his field goal attempts while finishing with 15 points, four rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot.

Senior Brad Guinane was nearly as efficient, going 5-for-6 from the field while making both of his 3-point shots. He had 14 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes on the court.

The team’s offensive discipline and spacing were some of the best it’s put on display all season. Gerber dished out seven assists and had just one turnover while scoring 16 points for the Chargers. He also grabbed four steals and found a number of his teammates for easy, wide open layups.

Hillsdale’s defense was just as dominant and disciplined as its offense. The Chargers held the Wildcats to 30 percent shooting from the floor and forced 15 turnovers. Hillsdale opened the second half on a 19-2 run, blowing open what had already been a substantial halftime lead for the home team (46-25).

Sophomore guard Darius Ware threw down two beautiful alley-oop dunks and had six points. Sophomore center Tim Dezelski came off the bench to score 11 points in 21 minutes, and junior Ryan Choiniere scored a season-high nine points.