Schedule
#19/23 Ferris State (7-2, 2-0 GLIAC) at Hillsdale (4-5, 2-1 G-MAC) | 6 p.m. ET Wednesday, Dec. 18 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
 
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Live Stats, Webcast, Ticket Links
 
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Ferris St. Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Ferris St. Stats | G-MAC Standings
 
 
Projected Starters
 
Hillsdale:  #3 Lauren McDonald, Sr., G, Chicago, IL/St. Ignatius/Air Force (15.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg. 3 apg, 1.8 spg); #5 Sarah Aleknavicius, Fr.,G/F, Grafton, WI/Grafton (3 ppg, 2.1 rpg); #15 Kendall McCormick, Sr., G, Hinckley, OH/Highland (8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.4 spg); #21 Savannah Smith, So., F, Liberty Twp., OH/Lakota East (11.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.1 bpg); #30 Caitlin Splain, Sr., G, Powell, OH/Olentangy Liberty (12.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.1 spg)
 
Ferris St.: #3 Kenzie Bowers, Sr., G, Kent City, MI/Kent City/Illinois St. (10 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.6 spg); #4 Elle Irwin, Jr., G, Rockford, MI/Rockford (9.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.3 spg); #21 Kadyn Blanchard, Sr., G, Freeland, MI/Freeland (18.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.7 spg); #25 Mia Riley, Jr., G, Fowler, MI/Fowler (12 ppg, 6 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.6 spg); #44 Mya Hiram, Jr., F/C, Onsted, MI/Onsted (10.8 ppg, 4 rpg)
 
 
Scouting the Opposition   
 
Ferris St.: Ferris State went on a magical run last season to the NCAA DII semifinals, and despite losing a couple of key players to graduation, the Bulldogs are looking like one of the top teams in the Midwest Region again in 2024-25.

A high-octane offensive team, Ferris averages 82.9 points per game and has 106 and 96 points in their last two games. Much of that production comes from a potent starting lineup led by high-scoring combo guard Kadyn Blanchard and sharpshooter Kenzie Bowers, both returning starers.

Elle Irwin, new to the starting lineup, is also a deadeye shot from range, while athletic posts Mia Riley and Mya Hiram, both veterans, hold things down in the paint.

Ferris can take advantage of a deep bench that includes another key player from the 2023-24 team, DeShonna Day, as well as another 3-point marksman in Emma Schierbeek and imposing 6-foot-5 freshman Alyssa Wirth.

Ferris is 7-2 on the season but both losses have come to traditional national powers in competitive games, and the Bulldogs are nationally ranked. They'll be a stiff test for the Chargers on Wednesday night.
 

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.
 
After a rocky non-conference portion of the schedule, Hillsdale appears to be coming into its own, with two wins in its first three G-MAC contests. The Chargers aim to build more momentum heading into the new year.

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, including defensive pest Kendall McCormick and proven sharpshooter Caitlin Splain on the wings.

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.

Hillsdale expects the rotation to be shaken up by a strong incoming freshman class that includes twin sisters Emilia Sularski 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.
 
Head Coach Brianna Brennan returns for her second season, along with both assistants Abbey McNeil and Morgan Galloway.
 
Matchup History

As former conference foes with a history dating back to at least the early 80s, Ferris and Hillsdale have been competitive throughout, with the Bulldogs holding a narrow 31-28 edge in the all-time series. Hillsdale is looking for its first win over Ferris St. since departing the GLIAC, with an 0-3 record against the Bulldogs since the 2016-17 season. The two teams last played on Nov. 14, 2019, with Ferris taking an 85-59 victory.
 
 
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.
• Returning All-G-MAC honoree Lauren McDonald is a key player for the Chargers, averaging 15.1 points to lead Hillsdale and rank fourth in the G-MAC through its first nine contests. McDonald also leads the team in assists and steals while ranking second in rebounds. The Chicago native enters following a 2023-24 campaign where she 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.
• Hillsdale has a number of sharpshooters from deep, headlined by senior Caitlin Splain, who currently sits in sixth all-time in program history in made 3-pointers with 197 through Saturday's game against Ursuline. Splain has a 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 as well for the Chargers and can provide range.
• 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, and she opened the 2024-25 season with 13 steals in nine games, while also grabbing an impressive 6.8 rebounds per game to lead Hillsdale so far.
• Sophomore Savannah Smith is making the leap this season after coming off the bench her first year in 2023-24. Smith has already more than doubled her total of double-digit scoring games with six in nine starts so far this season, and is averaging a solid 11.2 points per game. She's forming a strong post tandem with freshman Ellie Bruce, who's been an instant contributor off the bench for the Chargers as well with 4.8 points per game.
• Hillsdale's defense ranks among the top in the G-MAC so far, as the Chargers are conceding just 62.7 points per game, currently fourth in the G-MAC and just 0.2 points per game out of third place against a tough schedule. The Chargers are getting the job done by dominating the defensive glass, limiting opposing teams' second chances. Hillsdale averages 36.6 rebounds per game and will look to continue that performance on the glass throughout the G-MAC season.
• The Chargers have become more efficient as the season has worn on, and now boast the G-MAC's second-best assist-to-turnover ratio at 0.89, behind only multi-time defending conference champion Ashland. Hillsdale also is putting together an impressive performance as a team in blocking shots, with 3.33 rejections per game, third best in the G-MAC.