Schedule
Hillsdale (5-5, 2-1 G-MAC) at Ohio Dominican (5-6, 0-3 G-MAC) | 5:30 p.m. ET Thursday, Jan. 2 | Alumni Hall | Columbus, OH
Lake Erie (3-5, 0-3 G-MAC) at Hillsdale (5-5, 2-1 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 4 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
 
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Live Stats, Webcast, Ticket Links
 
 
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | ODU Roster | Lake Erie Roster | Hillsdale Stats | ODU Stats | Lake Erie Stats | G-MAC Standings
 
 
Projected Starters
 
Hillsdale:  #3 Lauren McDonald, Sr., G, Chicago, IL/St. Ignatius/Air Force (14.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg. 3 apg, 1.9 spg); #5 Sarah Aleknavicius, Fr.,G/F, Grafton, WI/Grafton (2.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg); #15 Kendall McCormick, Sr., G, Hinckley, OH/Highland (7.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.4 spg); #21 Savannah Smith, So., F, Liberty Twp., OH/Lakota East (11.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1 bpg); #30 Caitlin Splain, Sr., G, Powell, OH/Olentangy Liberty (12.6 ppg, 5 rpg, 1.1 spg)
 
ODU: #2 Jenna Shackleford, So., F, Newark, OH/Newark (9 ppg, 4.8 rpg);  #3 Brynn Mullet, Sr., G, Berlin, OH/Hiland (14.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.7 spg); #4 Macy Chapman, Jr., G, Hilliard, OH/Bradley (2.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg); #22 Gabby Stare, Gr, G, Newark, OH/Newark (14.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.1 spg); #30 Sarah Ochs, Jr., G, Beavercreek, OH/Carroll (13.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 spg)
 
Lake Erie: #3 Nina Shaffer, So., G, Green, OH/Green (8.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.5 spg); #4 Kennadi Harris, Sr., G, Columbus, OH/Notre Dame College (12.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg); #5 Lilee Carlson, Sr., G, Stow, OH/Notre Dame College (11.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2 apg, 1.6 spg); #12 Kylie Maxwell, So., F, Mentor, OH/Mentor (5.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg); #24 Megan Mares, So., F, Atlanta, GA/Truett McConnell (2.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
 
 
Scouting the Opposition
 
ODU: New head coach Brianna Sims has been tasked with turning around a once-proud program that's sunk into the G-MAC basement over the last few seasons. So far, ODU is off to its best start since its last winning season at 5-6, including a stunning upset of nationally-ranked Gannon.

The Panthers are built around do-everything wing Gabby Stare, the team's leading scorer for the last three seasons who returned for a fifth year in 2024-25, and Stare continues to be a key component in her final season. But it's the rise in Stare's supporting cast that has ODU feeling like it's on the upswing. Guard Brynn Mullet is having a breakout season after three years as a bit player for the Panthers, while returnees Sarah Ochs and Jenna Shackleford are each averaging career highs across the board as well.

With a strong core built, the Panthers are looking to add more scoring punch, leaning on a veteran bench to step up and add more to the team's offense to help it navigate a rugged G-MAC schedule. Guards Macy Chapman and Shannon Wojciak are playing more minutes recently for ODU, which is still hunting its first conference win entering this weekend.

Sims comes to ODU after five seasons as the head coach at the University of Dallas, helping turn around the Division III program. Sims also spent time as an assistant at Hendrix and Bluffton following a playing career at NCAA DII UMass-Lowell on the east coast.
 
Lake Erie: Looking to rebuild after a challenging 2023-24 season, the Storm have turned to new head coach Lauren Macer, who takes over after five seasons at Notre Dame College before that program folded this spring.

Already, Macer has shown signs of bringing Lake Erie back to competitiveness, matching last season's win total in just eight games. A big piece of the puzzle so far for the storm has been players that Macer brought from NDC -- led by starters Kennadi Harris and Lilee Carlson, the team's two leading scorers.

That said, returners also have played a role for the Storm, as sophomore Nina Shaffer has stepped up in her second season in Painesville, as have veteran guard Anna Ibos and promising 6-foot-2 forward Kylie Maxwell, who gives Lake Erie the size it needs to hold its own in the paint against G-MAC foes.

Lake Erie is 0-3 in G-MAC play entering the weekend but played arguably the two best teams in the league in that three game stretch. The Storm can't afford to fall too far behind in the standings, however, making this weekend a critical one as Lake Erie looks to continue its turnaround.

 
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.
 
Hillsdale closed out the first half of the season with a huge 76-61 upset victory over then-#19/24 Ferris State to get back to .500 and build some momentum heading into 2025. The Chargers have a chance to get hot in January and maintain its spot in the standings heading into the final month of the regular season.

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

Hillsdale has a 15-11 edge against Ohio Dominican all-time, and has won four straight meetings with the Panthers, including a 64-62 home victory against ODU on Dec. 5, 2024 earlier this season. ODU's last victory in the series was a 74-61 win over Hillsdale at home on Dec. 10, 2022. The Chargers also lead the series against Lake Erie by a 17-6 margin, including four straight wins, the latest a 69-52 victory in Painesville, on Feb. 10, 2024. Lake Erie's last win in the series came at Hillsdale on Jan. 28, 2021, by a 78-76 margin.
 
 
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 14.3 points to lead Hillsdale and rank sixth in the G-MAC through its first ten contests. McDonald also leads the team in assists and steals while ranking second in rebounds. She ranks in the top 10 in the G-MAC in rebounds per game, assists per game, steals per game, and field goal percentage. 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.
• Sophomore Annalise Pietrzyk was key to Hillsdale's stunning upset of Ferris State heading into the Christmas Break, scoring a career-high 19 points in a 76-61 victory. Her play helped her earn G-MAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week honors, her first in her career at Hillsdale and the team's first in the 2024-25 season. The sophomore is developing into a key two-way contributor for the Chargers off the bench, shooting an impressive 39.5% from 3-point range and averaging 7.8 points per game so far.
• Hillsdale has a number of sharpshooters from deep, headlined by senior Caitlin Splain, who currently sits tied for fifth all-time in program history in made 3-pointers with 199 through the end of 2024. 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 14 steals in ten games, while also grabbing an impressive 6.4 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 seven in 10 starts so far this season, and is averaging a solid 11.3 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 5.6 points per game.
• Hillsdale's defense ranks among the top in the G-MAC so far, as the Chargers are conceding just 62.5 points per game, currently fourth in the G-MAC and just 0.4 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 37.2 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 third-best assist-to-turnover ratio at 0.87, behind only multi-time defending conference champion Ashland and perennial contender Kentucky Wesleyan. Hillsdale also is putting together an impressive performance as a team in blocking shots, with 3.20 rejections per game, third best in the G-MAC.