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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Dominican men's basketball team continues the second round of Great Midwest play with home games against Hillsdale and Findlay this weekend.

The Panthers opened a six-game homestand this past Monday, Jan. 24, against Lake Erie, and continue the stretch of play at Alumni Hall this weekend, beginning 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 27, versus Hillsdale. ODU will then welcome Findlay at 3 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 29.

OPENING TIP-OFF

• What will ultimately be a six-game homestand continues with a pair of G-MAC games inside Alumni Hall this weekend.
• ODU is 2-3 at home this winter and coming off a 62-61 home win over Lake Erie on Monday, Jan. 24.
• The Panthers made eight of their final 11 field goal attempts in the win over LEC, the program's first victory when trailing by 10-plus points since Jan. 4, 2020 (at Ald. Broaddus). 
• Zach Szul (Waterville, Ohio) and Alek West (Sylvania, Ohio) continue to lead ODU in scoring, with both tallying 16 points last time out.
• Szul and West combined for 25 of ODU's 37 points in the second half against Lake Erie.
• West, who has played the fourth-most minutes in the G-MAC this winter, is averaging career-best marks of 14.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.
• Szul is averaging 11.7 points per game, and is nearing 500 career points in just his second season with the program (468). 
• With four made triples last time out, Mitch Wilkinson (Grand Rapids Mich.) now paces the Panthers with 30 made three-point field goals this season.
• Wilkinson scored 14 points versus LEC, and had his career-best scoring performance in the first meeting against Findlay, tallying 17 points with five made three-pointers.

ABOUT HILLSDALE

• Winners of three straight, Hillsdale enters Thursday's matchup in Columbus with a 13-4 overall record. 
• The Chargers, who have spent most of the season nationally ranked by the NABC and D2SIDA, are 8-3 in G-MAC competition, just one-half game back from Malone and Walsh for the top spot. 
• Hillsdale has earned a "road warriors" reputation, having won their past 15 true away games. The Chargers are 7-0 on the road this season, averaging 75.0 points per game.
• Overall, HC is averaging 70.0 points per contest, and its scoring defense is among the top 20 nationally in Division II at 63.9 points per game.
• Patrick Cartier leads the G-MAC and ranks top 15 in the country in both points per game, 22.2, and field goal percentage, .623.
• Cartier tallied 24 points and eight rebounds in the first meeting with ODU this season.
• Kyle Goessler and Austen Yarian are both providing over nine points per game, with the latter leading Hillsdale in both rebounds (7.2) and assists (3.8) per game.

ABOUT FINDLAY

• Findlay is 12-5 overall and since dropping a home contest to Ohio Dominican back on Dec. 11, have won seven straight games, tied for the 11th longest streak in Division II. 
• Over the last seven games, Findlay is averaging over 80 points per game with an average margin of victory of 17.2 points per outing. 
• The Oilers are 5-1 on the road this winter, including wins over nationally-ranked Hillsdale and Ashland in their most recent away bouts. 
• Overall, Findlay is averaging 77.5 points per game, which ranks third in the G-MAC.
• Findlay has started the same group of five players in all 17 games entering play this week, with all averaging at least eight points per game.
• Nathan Bruns leads the group at 15.2 points per contest, and is averaging north of 17 points over the past seven games. 
• Anthony Masterlasco is a 1,000-point career scorer for the Oilers and is producing 12.4 points per game this winter.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@ohiodominican.edu