Schedule
Hillsdale (0-0, 0-0 G-MAC) at Purdue Northwest (0-0, 0-0 GLIAC) | 6 p.m. ET Friday, Nov. 8 | John Friend Court | Hammond, IN
Illinois-Springfield (0-0, 0-0 GLVC) at Hillsdale (0-0, 0-0 G-MAC) | 6 p.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 9 | John Friend Court | Hammond, IN
 
Follow/Watch
Live Stats | Webcast ($) | Tickets
 
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Purdue NW Roster | UIS Roster | 2023-24 Hillsdale Stats | 2023-24 Purdue NW Stats | 2023-24 UIS Stats | G-MAC Standings
 
 
Players to Watch*
 
Hillsdale:  #3 Lauren McDonald, Sr., G, Chicago, IL/St. Ignatius/Air Force (12.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.8 spg); #15 Kendall McCormick, Sr., G, Hinckley, OH/Highland (7.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2 spg); #21 Savannah Smith, So., F, Liberty Twp., OH/Lakota East (3.6 ppg); #23 Annalise Pietrzyk, So., G, Lockport, IL/Providence Catholic (5.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg); #31 Ashley Konkle, Sr., C, Aurora, IL/Benet Academy/Western Michigan (5.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
 
Purdue NW: #1 Takiya Howard, Sr., G, Chicago, IL/De La Salle/Southern Indiana (1.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg at USI); #2 Cherrelle Newsom, Sr., G, Indanapolis, IN/Ben Davis/Hutchinson CC (5.9 ppg); #11 Nessa Walsh, Sr., G, Chicago, IL/St. Joseph/Alaska Anchorage (1.9 ppg, 2 rpg at UAA); #12 Kylie Schmidt, Sr., F, Francis Creek, WI/Mishicot (2.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg); #24 Zoe Spoelman, Jr., F, Grand Haven, MI/Grand Haven (1.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg)
 
Illinois-Springfield: #3 Kayla Rice, So., G, Rock Island, IL/Rock Island (8.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.3 spg); #21 Saharra Murphy, Sr., G, Dayton, OH/Wayne/Alderson Broaddus (5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.9 spg); #23 Amaya Asher, So., G, Louisville, KY/Central (6.9 ppg, 1.2 spg); #30 Bailey Parham, So., F, Lewisville, IN/Tri (1.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg); #32 DD Mehundrew, G, So., Springfield, IL/Southeast/Millikin (4.9 ppg at Millikin)
 
*2022-23 Stats
 
 
Scouting the Opposition
 
Purdue Northwest: After an 11-18 season in 2023-24, it's a complete reset for the Pride, as Purdue Northwest makes a coaching change and is set to return just one of their top eight players in minutes from last season.
 
Lone holdover Cherrelle Newsom, who excelled in a supporting role last season, becomes a team leader for Purdue Northwest as the Pride look to rebuild under new head coach Jesse Ford, who compiled an impressive 60-31 record and an NAIA Tournament appearance in three seasons at nearby Indiana University Northwest.
 
Ford will have decisions to make about piecing together a lineup around Newsom. The Pride also return Kylie Schmidt and Zoe Spoelman, who battled injuries and played limited minutes last season, and bring in a number of transfers, including Division I down-transfers Takiya Howard and Kaylen Evans, DII transfers Nessa Walsh, and Thaya Luse, as well as other college transfers Sophia Remmel, Akiya Baker and Alyssa Cole. To that group, Purdue Northwest also brought in a group of five freshmen who will get a chance to play early if they are ready for the minutes.
 
With so many new faces, Purdue Northwest's success this season will depend heavily on how fast the Pride can find a consistent lineup and build chemistry.
 
Illinois-Springfield: After an 11-win improvement in 2023-24, UIS is hoping that a new coach won't mean a step backwards.
 
Olivia Lett takes over at UIS after six successful seasons at DIII Millikin University, including a 105-48 overall record and two NCAA DIII Tournament appearances. She inherits a team that must overcome heavy graduation losses, including its top four scorers from 2023-24. The cupboard isn't bare, however, as the Prairie Stars return three key role players who saw a consistent amount of run last season in guards Amaya Asher, Saharra Murphy and Kayla Rice.
 
Finding a post presence will be key, with returners Tatianna McLaren, Niya Udoiwod and Bailey Parham all getting an opportunity to expand their roles after playing limited minutes in 2023-24. Allysia McDaniel, a 6-1 guard, could also factor in in her second season, while transfers Emari Doby, from Division I Denver, and DD Mehundrew, who followed Lett from Millikin, also will be in the mix along with two incoming freshmen.
 
 
Scouting Hillsdale
 
Coming off the best regular-season conference finish in over a decade, and with a significant chunk of talent returning, hopes are high that the rise can continue for the Hillsdale College women's basketball program in 2024-25.

Seven of Hillsdale's top eight minutes-getters return from a squad that went 17-12 and had Hillsdale's first top four conference finish since 2008-09 last season, including six players who started six or more games.

Leading the way is senior combo guard Lauren McDonald, who exploded with a stellar all-around season in 2023-24 that saw her receive second-team All-G-MAC honors. McDonald can play and defend multiple positions and is an elite three-level scorer as well as an above-average rebounder for her height.

The Chargers can surround McDonald with a veteran supporting cast, with defensive pest Kendall McCormick and proven sharpshooter Caitlin Splain on the wings, and 6-foot-2 center Ashley Konkle in the post.

Hillsdale has one huge hole to fill in the starting lineup with the graduation of forward Sydney Mills, the program's all-time leading rebounder. Replacing her production will be a team effort – starting with larger roles for a variety of second year players who impressed in 2023-24.

Wings Sydney Pnacek and Annalise Pietrzyk both spent time in the starting lineup for Hillsdale in their first season on the floor for the Chargers, with both becoming important parts of the rotation and making critical offensive contributions down the stretch. Along with those two, fellow sophomore Savannah Smith, an athletic post player who received more playing time late in the year, also will compete for more minutes and could shine in an expanded role. Juniors Payton Adkins and Emma Ruhlman also could crack the rotation more consistently with another year of experience under their belts.

Along with returning contributors from 2023-24, Hillsdale also hopes to get a big boost from the healthy return of senior Carly Callahan. A talented scoring threat on the wing, Callahan was poised to build off an excellent sophomore season last year before a preseason leg injury knocked her out for the entire campaign. Her return will add even more long-distance shooting, scoring punch and rebounding to an already strong lineup.

Hillsdale also expects the rotation to be shaken up by a strong incoming freshman class that includes twin sisters Emilia and Magdalena Sularski, who starred at a high level in Illinois high school basketball with Benet Academy, gifted and versatile wing Sarah Aleknavicius, and a strong 6-foot-2 post presence in Ellie Bruce. While none is guaranteed to be part of the rotation given the amount of experience returning, all four have the skill level to make an impact if they quickly adjust to the college game.
 
Head Coach Brianna Brennan returns for her second season, along with both assistants Abbey McNeil and Morgan Galloway.
 
 
Other Notes

• The Chargers were picked to finish tied for fourth with Kentucky Wesleyan in the 2024-25 G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll after tying for fourth place in the conference race in 2023-24. Defending champion Ashland was picked to repeat as conference title-winner, while Malone was selected to finish second and Findlay was picked to take third.
• Hillsdale has split two previous meetings with Purdue Northwest, winning on a last second shot by Sydney Mills at home in 2022 while losing a close contest at Purdue Northwest last season. The Chargers, meanwhile, are 4-1 all-time against Illinois-Springfield, with the last Charger victory another 72-70 thriller won at the buzzer by the Chargers on Nov. 12, 2016, with Allie Dittmer making a putback as time expired. UIS won the most recent meeting 82-58 in a neutral site contest last season.
• The Chargers return an All-G-MAC honoree in Lauren McDonald, who had an impressive breakout season last year in her first full campaign with the Chargers. McDonald led Hillsdale in scoring and assists and was second on the team in rebounds, steals and blocked shots while making clutch baskets in overtime victories over Malone and Ohio Dominican. Entering the 2024-25 season, McDonald looks set to be a focal point of the Chargers offense in the coming campaign.
• Hillsdale has a number of sharpshooters from deep, headlined by senior Caitlin Splain, who enters the 2024-25 season tied for seventh all-time in program history in made 3-pointers. Splain has a real shot of challenging the program's all-time made 3-pointer record of 237 set by Chelsea Harrison from 2008-2012 if she can stay healthy and maintain her career-average clip. While they're not on a record-setting pace, sophomores Annalise Pietrzyk and Savannah Smith both shot above .350 from deep last year, and senior Carly Callahan also was an excellent shooter from 3-point range and returns after missing last season with an injury.
• Senior Kendall McCormick was a revelation for the Chargers defensively last season, showing improved offensive game while serving as one of the best on-ball defenders in the G-MAC with an average of two steals per contest. McCormick will look to take another step forward in her final season with the Chargers in 2024-25.