Basketball fall on road; 12-11
Andy Buss
Issue date: 2/14/08 Section: Sports
Striving for an end-of-the-season push to qualify for the GLIAC conference tournament, the men's basketball team struggled with inconsistency this past weekend and lost both games.
The Chargers spent the end of last week on the road. Encouragingly, Thursday brought a hard fought game against the Division II No. 10 team, Gannon University, though they lost 90-75 in overtime.
The Chargers' performance Saturday left them with a discouraging 90-80 loss against Mercyhust College.
"The weekend defines how close we are and the year, to an extent," head coach John Tharp said. "We play a top 10 team tough on their home court and then struggle against Mercyhurst."
During Saturday's game the team struggled with consistency and the ability to put all aspects of play in one complete package and deliver.
"Our defense was just not great that game," freshman Joe Caruso, a guard, said of Saturday's game. "Last time they beat us 59-58, this time we just didn't play defense but we shot well."
Tharp agreed.
"On Saturday, we did not play with that same energy and sense of urgency you need to have," he said.
Senior Tim Homan's shooting highlighted Saturday's game. He began the game by hitting four straight three-pointers and ended with a game high 26 points.
The Chargers played solidly but were penalized for their aggressiveness. The game started with Hillsdale collecting more fouls than Gannon - a count of 15-2 in the opening minutes. In overtime where every point mattered, starting players sitting because of foul trouble took its toll.
"They really jumped us early," Evans said. "It was a physical game and we fouled a lot - especially the first five minutes."
Four of five starters fouled out as the game progressed, but the team persevered.
"Our guys really responded well - and fought and scrapped," Evans said.
Tharp was pleased with his team's performance.
"The effort we put forth was absolutely incredible," he said.
The lone starter who did not foul out, junior guard Keith MacKenzie, scored 28 points.
"Keith MacKenzie absolutely put us on his back," Evans said. "We just could not hang on.
MacKenzie said there were a couple of different factors throwing his teammates off track.
"We didn't fully execute the defensive game plan," he said. "Plus they were playing a kind of funky zone - it got us out of our rhythm. We were hesitant on what we should do."
The Chargers, who slid to fourth in the GLIAC South Division, look to jump back on the winning path when they host Ferris State University tonight.
Hillsdale College Collegian 2008
The Chargers spent the end of last week on the road. Encouragingly, Thursday brought a hard fought game against the Division II No. 10 team, Gannon University, though they lost 90-75 in overtime.
The Chargers' performance Saturday left them with a discouraging 90-80 loss against Mercyhust College.
"The weekend defines how close we are and the year, to an extent," head coach John Tharp said. "We play a top 10 team tough on their home court and then struggle against Mercyhurst."
During Saturday's game the team struggled with consistency and the ability to put all aspects of play in one complete package and deliver.
"Our defense was just not great that game," freshman Joe Caruso, a guard, said of Saturday's game. "Last time they beat us 59-58, this time we just didn't play defense but we shot well."
Tharp agreed.
"On Saturday, we did not play with that same energy and sense of urgency you need to have," he said.
Senior Tim Homan's shooting highlighted Saturday's game. He began the game by hitting four straight three-pointers and ended with a game high 26 points.
The Chargers played solidly but were penalized for their aggressiveness. The game started with Hillsdale collecting more fouls than Gannon - a count of 15-2 in the opening minutes. In overtime where every point mattered, starting players sitting because of foul trouble took its toll.
"They really jumped us early," Evans said. "It was a physical game and we fouled a lot - especially the first five minutes."
Four of five starters fouled out as the game progressed, but the team persevered.
"Our guys really responded well - and fought and scrapped," Evans said.
Tharp was pleased with his team's performance.
"The effort we put forth was absolutely incredible," he said.
The lone starter who did not foul out, junior guard Keith MacKenzie, scored 28 points.
"Keith MacKenzie absolutely put us on his back," Evans said. "We just could not hang on.
MacKenzie said there were a couple of different factors throwing his teammates off track.
"We didn't fully execute the defensive game plan," he said. "Plus they were playing a kind of funky zone - it got us out of our rhythm. We were hesitant on what we should do."
The Chargers, who slid to fourth in the GLIAC South Division, look to jump back on the winning path when they host Ferris State University tonight.
Hillsdale College Collegian 2008
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