Hillsdale 59, Northwood 48

February 4, 2012 – The Northwood University men’s basketball team provided first-place Hillsdale College a sobering reminder of how treacherous life on the road in the GLIAC can be Saturday night.

The Hillsdale College men’s basketball team lost for the second straight time on the road, 73-59 to Northwood University at the Bennett Center in Midland. The Chargers remain in first place both in the South Division and overall, at 18-3 overall and 12-2 in the conference.

The Chargers struggled to find their familiar offensive flow throughout the entire game, as Northwood’s aggressive defense disrupted Hillsdale’s rhythm. The Chargers shot 8 for 29 from the 3-point stripe, and 37 percent overall for the game.

On the other end of the floor, the Timberwolves were on target from the field all game long, making a high-percentage of stand-still jumpers, from both two- and three-point territory. The Timberwolves shot 50 percent in their 3-pointers (9-for-18) and outrebounded the Chargers 39-32.

The Chargers tried to generate some momentum from late in the first half to early in the second half, going on a 7-0 run that made it a two-point game, 32-30. But Northwood effectively countered with an 8-0 run to keep the Chargers from gaining control of the game. Hillsdale hasn’t won in Northwood’s gym since December 15, 2007.

Hillsdale, ranked 18th in the nation, now holds a one-game lead over Ferris State for first overall in the GLIAC, and has a 2 ½ -game cushion on Findlay and Wayne State in the South Division, despite this loss.

Senior guard Tyler Gerber led Hillsdale with 20 points in the game, along with three rebounds and three assists. Sophomore forward Tim Dezelski had 11 points and six rebounds, while Brad Guinane also had 11 points. Sophomore Brandon Pritzl had 10 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field, along with a career-high eight rebounds.

The Chargers remain on the road all next week, taking on Ohio Dominican Thursday and Tiffin Saturday.